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Norton S. Townshend, M. D. 
Father of Agricultural Education in America. 

Born : Clay Coaton, England, 1815. 
Died : Columbus, Ohio, 1895. 



HISTORY OF OHIO AGRICULTURE 



A Treatise on the Development of the 

Various Lines and Phases of 

Farm Life in Ohio 



CHARLES WILLIAM BURKETT, M. Sc. 

Professor of Agriculture, New Hampshire College of Agriculture 
and the Mechanic Arts 



ILLUSTRATED 



CONCORD, N. H.: 

Zbe IRumforD press. 
1900. 



THE I iBSARY OF 
CONGRESS. 

On? Cot-- >-»cH,vPr 

£EC„ 10 1902 

CLASS CL. XXc. No. 

copy a: 






Copyright, 1900 

By Rumford Printing Company, 

Concord, N. H. 



TO 

ftbomas ffors^tb frnnt 

Insi'IRIng Teacher 

AND 

Constant Friend 



CONTENTS 

Introduction 9 

Chapter I. Soil and Climate 13 

Indian Agriculture .... 26 

People of Ohio 39 

Canals, Railroads, and Turn- 
pikes 53 

Principal Farm Crops ... 68 

Horticulture and Forestry . . 78 

The Horse Stock in Ohio . . 90 

VIII. Cattle Development in Ohio . 105 

IX. Breeds of Sheep in Ohio . . 121 
Introduction and Development 

of Some Breeds of Swine . 137 
Introduction and Development 
of Farm Implements and 

Machinery 151 

Dairying in Ohio 177 

Agricultural Education . . . 189 



II. 
III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 



X. 



XI. 



XII. 
XIII. 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Norton S. Townshend .... Fro?itispiece 

The First American Reaper . . Page 164X 

A Model Creamery Page 186 * 

Townshend Agricultural Hall . . Page 202 • 



PREFACE 

In the preparation of the pages which follow, 
the writer has endeavored to trace the develop- 
ment of one side of the industrial life in Ohio. 
It is to the farmer, more than to any other, that 
this state owes her greatness. 

In recognition of this fact, the writer has 
endeavored to present a readable account of 
the progress and evolution of the agriculture in 
its various phases in the state. A chapter has 
been devoted to canals and railroads, because 
with the advent of the former the real agricul- 
ture began. It is to bring together some of the 
historic agricultural facts now scattered through 
a thousand places that this little book appears. 

c. w. B. 



INTRODUCTION 

In 1650 Ohio was an unbroken forest. Its 
waters on the north and south had occasionally 
been furrowed by the adventurous craft of civil- 
ized men ; but its borders possessed neither a 
hamlet nor a house. Only its interior showed 
signs of life of man, and that in the savage 
state. Tradition only tells us of the beauty of 
the wild scenery. That must have been a 
pleasant view to the Jesuit missionary Jean de 
Brefeuf, in 1640, as he coasted along Lake 
Erie's bank in the waters calm and sublime, 
typical of the solemn hum that marks the Atlan- 
tic roll. Or as La Salle, in 1660, moved slowly 
down the stream on the south, majestically 
along, noiseless as the foot of time, and as re- 
sistless. No wonder he used haste to take pos- 
session, after beholding the tall trees, covered 
with vines of the grape and of wild roses, from 
near the ground to topmost branches. He saw, 
too, the beautiful shrubbery and wild flowers, 
tall grasses, and the great profusion of flower- 
ing plants in full bloom, of every shade of color. 
We do not wonder as thus he floated down the 
stream he saw that truly the country and the 
silvery river was fair and beautiful ; with this 
thought in mind, he exclaimed : " La belle 

9 



Intro- rivere ! " The Indians, too, felt the same pleas- 
uc ion ure j n t j le ^ eaut y f i-jjg scenej anc j j on g before 

the Wyandots had named the river by the ex- 
pression, O, he, zuh ; which meaning applied 
by the French, means great, grand, and fair to 
look at, hence the name of Ohio for the river 
and the state. 

The history of the agriculture of Ohio is free 
from the startling sensations which arise from a 
Perry on Lake Erie, or the policies of a Vallan- 
digham, or the tragedies and comedies of social 
life. Ohio's agriculture is deep and calm ; its 
history quiet, but marked with the ever-increas- 
ing steps of progress. 

As the sailor takes his bearings to keep his 
course, and from every view he sees nothing but 
water, so it is with the agriculture of Ohio, — 
a broad ocean of uncollected facts, one bearing 
here, another there, often uncertain and unre- 
liable, extending through a period of a century 
in length. But we see a few landmarks here 
and there that are valuable aids in directing our 
course. 

Ohio agriculture may be divided into the fol- 
lowing periods : 

Prehistoric or Indian agriculture, from pre- 
historic times to 1788. 

Early agriculture, 1 788-1 832. 

Modern agriculture, 1 83 2-present. 
10 



Our present period is experimental ; can we Intro 



not within another half century give place to a 
fourth period, and term it scientific agriculture, 
with date from about 1890 ? 

In this treatise we need not go into the his- 
tory of the boundary of Ohio. It is true that a 
few straggling settlers lived in Ohio, but her 
industrial history begins properly with the Mari- 
etta settlement. Those settlers did not live by 
manufacturing, nor by mining, nor by hunting 
and fishing ; but the growing of crops and the 
tilling of the soil at once took a prominent place 
in the work. Trees were soon cut and raised 
into houses. Protection started, the area thus 
cleared gave place for sowing, and cultivation 
and harvesting at once followed. Little is 
known of the agriculture of this period. In 
fact, there was little history, and nothing of 
importance in any way occurred to those first 
settlers prior to 1800. There was no means of 
transportation. Shipbuilding began about this 
time, and an outlet for the crop surplus was 
now slightly possible. But the agriculture of 
Ohio cannot be said to have commenced as an 
industry at a period before 1832. The Ohio 
canal was at this time completed ; the facility for 
transportation by that means was the com- 
mencement of the era of improvement in this 
state. The accessibility to market induced 

11 



diiction 



Intro- every landowner to pay greater attention to the 
duction cu i tivation of the soiL 

Up to this time there had been no reason nor 
demand for improvement. Now an occupation 
for thousands had been made possible. The 
necessity gave rise to invention and improve- 
ment, and henceforth there was to begin a de- 
velopment and improvement in live stock and 
implements that was to make Ohio one of the 
foremost agricultural states of America. From 
that time forward prosperity followed, and the 
entire state rapidly grew in population and 
wealth. Log cabins disappeared, and commo- 
dious frame dwellings took their place. Towns 
sprang into existence, with shops, schools, and 
churches. Farm products found a ready cash 
sale, and at remunerative prices. Thus agri- 
culture proper had its beginning. The oppor- 
tunity was now afforded for the virgin earth to 
have developed its riches and beauty. 



CHAPTER I 

SOIL AND CLIMATE 

On the surface, within the limits of Ohio, 
is almost everywhere a rich vegetable 
mould, made by the decay and putrefac- 
tion of vegetable substances. Along the 
Ohio river and all its larger tributaries in 
this state are wide intervals of rich alluvial 
soils, on which originally a thick growth 
of gigantic forest trees flourished. In the 
hilly regions there are two kinds of soil — 
the silicious and the argilaceous. The 
former is made by the disintegration of the 
sandstone, near the surface ; the latter by 
the clay slate which exists there. And 
where it is quite hilly these two kinds often 
become blended together. Nature has pro- 
vided us the clay for bricks and the sand 
in which to mould them. 

The interior of the state and the country 
bordering on Lake Erie are generally 
level, and in some places marshy. From 
one quarter to one third of the state, com- 
prehending the eastern and southeastern 
part, bordering on the Ohio river, is gen- 

13 



Soil and erally hilly and broken. The lands on the 
Ohio, and several of its tributaries, have 
great fertility. On both sides of the Scioto 
and the two Miamis are the most extensive 
bodies of rich and level land in the state. 
On the headwaters of the Muskingum and 
the Scioto, and between the Scioto and the 
two Miamis, are extensive prairies, some of 
them at one time low and marshy, produc- 
ing a great quantity of farm products of 
all kinds. Prior to its present claimation 
to agriculture, this area produced a great 
quantity of coarse grass, from two to five 
feet high ; other parts of the prairie are 
elevated and dry, with a very fertile soil, 
though they have sometimes been called 
barrens. The height of the land which 
divides the waters which fall into the Ohio 
from those which fall into Lake Erie was 
the most marshy originally of any of the 
state ; while the land on the margins of the 
rivers is generally dry. 1 

The southeastern section, over one third 
of the state, is dependent upon its original 
rocks for its soil fertility. These being 
mostly of sandstone origin, afford little 

1 Sherman & Smith's Gazetteer of the United States. 
14 



fertility either to the hills themselves or to Soil and 
the valleys over which the wash is carried. ima e 
They are the only native soils we have, 
coming either directly from the rocks that 
underlie them or that rise above them in 
the boundaries of the valleys and uplands. 
The rocks thus being disintegrated vary 
in composition, and consequently the soils 
are "characterized by considerable ine- 
quality and by abrupt changes." All have 
a fair degree of fertility, and those derived 
from the underbed of limestone are not 
surpassed by any in the state. Of this 
driftless soil region there is another class 
less productive. Forests and fruit produc- 
tion have flourished to a considerable de- 
gree in this region. The chestnut and the 
chestnut oak are partial to this class of 
soils, and vineyards and orchards have 
done remarkably well upon them. This 
class of soils are derived from Devonian 
shales. Another class of native soils are 
what are known as the Waverly group and 
lower coal measures. They are popularly 
known as the cheap land belt. Forests do 
well upon this area also. Some of our 
highest quality of timber has been pro- 

15 



Soil and duced from this type. Dr. Orton says that 
these soils if farmed in an exhaustive man- 
ner will not last long, but if cattle and 
sheep are raised, a system of grass and 
grain rotation followed and the addition of 
a ton or two of artificial fertilizer made, a 
farmer can do well upon them. 1 

Writing of our drift soils, Dr. Orton 
says, " The drift soils are by far the most 
important, alike from their greater area, 
and their intrinsic excellence. Formed by 
the commingling of the glacial waste of all 
the formations to the north of them, over 
which the ice has passed, they always pos- 
sess considerable variety of composition, 
but still in many cases they are strongly 
colored by the formation underneath them. 
Whenever a structure of uniform composi- 
tion has a broad outcrop across the line of 
glacial advance, the drift beds that cover 
its southern portions will be found to have 
been derived in large part from the forma- 
tion itself, and will thus resemble native or 
sedentary soils. Western Ohio is under- 
laid with silurian limestones, and the drift 
is consequently limestone drift. 

1 Howe's History of Ohio, Vol. I, page 87. 
16 



The soil over much more than one half Soil ancl 
of the state is of foreign origin, 1 that is, has 
not been derived from the decomposition of 
the underlying rocks, but has been trans- 
ported, by drift agencies, frequently from a 
great distance. Over the northern part of 
the state the most conspicuous element in 
the drift deposit is clay. We have in that 
section the tenacious clayey soil which has 
given character to the original forest and to 
the system of agriculture which we have 
to-day ; the cultivation of grasses, the rais- 
ing of stock, wheat, and the manufacture of 
butter and cheese being the most success- 
ful. On the Western Reserve, Newberry 
says, " The underlying rocks are frequently 
highly arenaceous, — conglomerate and 
sandstone, — yet this is the dairy of the 
West, for over nearly all parts of the sur- 
face a sheet of drift clay has been spread, 
of such continuity and thickness as com- 
pletely to modify the character both of veg- 
etation and agriculture. Along the south- 
ern range the drift deposits are more or less 
composed of gravel and sand." 2 

1 Howe's History of Ohio, Vol. I, page 87. Geology of Ohio, 
Vol. I, page 23. 

2 Geology of Ohio, Vol. I. 

17 



Soil and Some considerable part of the state is 
embedded with coal. Here the soil is 
affected by the underground bed. The 
rocks are sandstone shales, fire clays, and 
coal and limestones, which give local diver- 
sity to the soil. Where the ridges are cov- 
ered with sandstone, the soils are light and 
porous and have little agricultural value. 
The chestnut and the wild grape grow abun- 
dantly on this class. Frequently, however, 
the ridges are sheeted with limestone, as in 
some sections fine crops of corn and wheat 
are produced on the summits of the hills. 

In the valleys of the Muskingum, Scioto, 
and the Miami the soil is deep black allu- 
vial, which yields, year after year, abundant 
harvests of our most important agricultural 
crops. In the Miami valley we have our 
highest type of fertile lands, occasioned by 
the drift of limestones and the underlying 
calcareous gravels. 

In the western and northwestern parts of 
the state there is a type of prairie land, 
covering a considerable extent of territory, 
originally marshy, but of recent years 
ditches and tiles have converted this waste 
land into productive farms. 
18 



Climate. Soil and 

s- •' i i ' ■!• T-. • Climate 

Ohio has a variable climate. From its 

geographical situation it is necessarily one 
of moderate extremes. The state is swept 
over by the southwest trades and the north- 
west polar winds in their alternatives. The 
southwest winds bring in the rains, and 
during the summer months often of a 
strongly cyclonic character. The summers 
of southern Ohio and the winters of the 
northern part are often intemperate, but the 
spring and autumn, in both cases, compen- 
sate for the excess. The equable temper- 
ature which Lake Erie diffuses upon the 
adjoining country has been valuable in an 
immense degree to the various agricultural 
and horticultural industries ; orchards and 
vineyards thrive especially well in that 
locality. 

Ohio lies in the region where the best 
conditions of climate exist for the adapta- 
tion of vegetable and animal life. Situated 
in the temperate zone, the state falls entirely 
under the influence of a variable climate. 
And those variations of heat and cold, of 
moisture and dryness, within extremes not 
too great, have been important factors in 

iq 



Soil and the development of vegetable and animal 

Climate vr mi • .• • i 

life. 1 here is an inspiration in changing 

seasons, the lovely springtime, with the 
summer that follows, bringing the warmth 
and moisture and sunshine which make 
the fruits of the soil abundant in this land, 
fitting rewards for our labor ; and winter 
with its cold, exhilarating influence, with its 
period of rest and renewal of vigor. In 
this respect, then, Ohio has a climate un- 
surpassed, with winters that are not severe, 
and summers that are not depressingly hot. 
The climatic conditions are favorable for 
the production of a wide range of vegeta- 
tion. Cereals of practically every nature, 
fruits of all descriptions, vegetables of 
nearly every variety, find cultivation on 
Ohio farms and gardens. There are many 
picturesque and charming hills that are 
noted for their fruit ; the mild and equable 
temperature of Lake Erie's region is unsur- 
passed for its vineyards, while the hundred 
valleys, level and fertile, not only furnish 
the produce for Ohio's people, but have to 
spare to feed the hungry mouths of other 
climes. Climatic conditions, with the fer- 
tile soil, were what caused the extraordi- 



nary development of animal and vegetable Soil and 
forms during the time of Indian ownership. 

Temperature. 

From the observations of the state 
weather bureau we have exact data for 
the last fifteen years on the weather con- 
ditions of the state. We also have records 
extending over a period of forty years that 
give a close idea of the normal conditions. 
The observations of G. A. Hyde 1 of Cleve- 
land are especially interesting. Since 1855 
he has kept careful records of the tem- 
perature, rainfall and snowfall, the winds 
and sky. From his observations we find 
that during the period there is no uniform 
deviation from the normal, and no gradual 
change of seasons as so many people are 
inclined to think. The average tempera- 
ture for the forty years is 49. 3 ; the high- 
est temperature observed in the vicinity of 
Cleveland was 99 on August 12, 1881, 
while the lowest temperature was 20 
below zero, January 29, 1873. We find 
by dividing this period of forty years into 
decades, that the average temperature of 

1 Forty Years' Record of the Weather, by G. A. Hyde. 

21 



Soil and the first was 49.58 ; the second, 48.32 ; 
the third, 49. 46 ; and the fourth, 49. 34 . 
From the State Weather Bureau, we find 
during a period of fifteen years the mean 
temperature is 50. 5 ; the highest, 108 , 
July 18, 1887, at Pomeroy; the lowest, 
34 below zero January 25, 1884, at 
Sidney. Range of temperature 142 ; 
mean daily range, 21. 3 ; greatest daily 
range, 6o° on October 19, 1894, New 
Waterford ; lowest range, o° January 13, 
1892, New Holland; and February 7, 
1895, at Kilbourne. 

The warmest month is July and the 
coldest January. 

Precipitation. 

From the observations of Mr. Hyde on 
the amount of rainfall, melted snow 
included, during the forty years of his 
observations, we get the following interest- 
ing facts : The greatest fall in one day or 
twenty-four hours was 4.67 inches, Sep- 
tember 12 and 13, 1878. The greatest 
fall in one month was 10.33 inches in June, 
1855. The least fall in one month was 
0.25 inches in February, 1877. The 
22 



greatest fall in one year was 49.66 inches Soil and 
in 1878. The least fall in one year was 
25.28 inches in 1856. The average rain- 
fall and melted snow for forty years is 
38.08 inches. 

From the State Weather Bureau we get 
the following averages for the state : The 
number of days that rain fell during the 
last fifteen years was 125 ; mean yearly 
rainfall, 37.87; mean daily rainfall, 0.10; 
greatest rainfall at Demos in 1890, 65.39 
inches; least rainfall, 20.38 inches, Pome- 
roy, 1894 ; with a mean monthly rainfall 
of 3.14 inches. The rainfall for the grow- 
ing seasons is not always sufficient to 
furnish water enough for the maturity of 
the crop, which makes it essential to con- 
serve the moisture that is taken in the soil 
during the other months. 

Snowfall. 

Mr. Hyde notes the most remarkable 
snow-storm, in his record of forty years, to 
have occurred January 31, 1878, between 
the hours of 4 A. m. and 9 p. m., in which 
time there fell twenty-two inches of snow. 
During the time of the observation the first 

23 



Soil and snow fell September 30, 1888, and the 
latest November 29, 1865. Of the last 
snowfall of the season, the latest occurred 
May 9, 1885, and the earliest March 24, 
1878. The greatest snowfall for any 
season occurred during the winter of 1880- 
'81 when 101.8 inches fell. The least 
snowfall of any season occurred during 
the winter of i86$-'66, when but 22.6 
inches fell. The average snowfall during 
the forty years was 54.4 inches. For the 
average condition of the weather proper of 
the state during the past fifteen years, we 
find that the number of clear days, fair 
days, cloudy days, and rainy days, per 
month, was ten each. During the forty 
years' period the prevailing direction of the 
wind was from the southwest. As to the 
state of the general climatic conditions, 
little needs to be said. There seems to be 
no change in temperature, amount of snow, 
and change of seasons. The destruction 
of forests, however, has had some effect on 
the prevalence of floods and their distribu- 
tion. 

24 



Ice, Frost, and Storms. Soil and 

Cli7nate 
The formation of ice from three to six 
inches occurs in all sections every year, 
and sleighing and skating are possible in 
nearly every section of the state. The 
northern part of the state never fails in its 
ice crop. 

Frosts are usual, especially in the sec- 
tion south of the lake to the line where the 
climate is affected in a favorable way. 
Hundreds of acres of fruit trees and often 
the cereals are entirely destroyed by frosts. 
Summer storms, too, are frequent, and 
the occasional winter storm is not uncom- 
mon. Periods of excessive rainfall are not 
unknown, when great floods have inflicted 
great losses on both farms and prosperous 
towns. 

25 



CHAPTER II 

INDIAN AGRICULTURE 

The Ohio Indian was not an agricultur- 
ist ; he regarded the cultivation of the soil 
as degrading. Yet he found it necessary 
to cultivate the soil to obtain a living, and 
he put the task upon the old women and 
the children. It is customary to speak of 
the Indian as subsisting by the chase, but 
this is true only to a limited extent. More 
than half of them cultivated the soil, and in 
the Ohio and Mississippi valleys quite well 
and extensively. Up to 1776 the entire 
land of Ohio was in possession of the Indian 
tribes. No white men were permanently 
within this Indian land, and those who 
were roaming about within the borders 
were known only as enemies, and their 
presence meant war. The most powerful 
tribe and honest were the Wyandots, who 
occupied the fertile and level region of the 
Sandusky river, where they held the undis- 
puted right to the northern part of the state. 
In the rich valleys of the Tuscarawas and 
Muskingum were the camping grounds of 
26 



the Delawares, whose power gave them Indian 
possession of nearly half of the state. The tt f rg 
Scioto and Miami country furnished the 
beautiful valley homes of the Shawnees ; 
the fame and power of whose brave war- 
riors were extended even to the civilized 
courts, so that the French found efficient 
allies during the Seven Years' War. Piqua 
and Chillicothe are named from two of the 
four sub-divisions of this powerful tribe. 
The Chippewas and the Ottawas occupied 
portions in the northern part of the state. 

These tribes were the occupants of Ohio 
while the white men were building up a 
civil society in the East, and the former had 
little disturbance from the latter. Here 
they roamed and hunted, and tilled their 
little fields and made love and war at pleas- 
ure, little conscious of the approaching 
troubles and doom ! Though the Indian 
was lazy and careless he exercised more 
forethought about his corn crop than any- 
thing else. In some parts of the state along 
the river banks and valleys where trees 
were not abundant, were found the corn- 
fields of the Indians ; back in the hills and 
forest areas the Indian found it necessary 

27 



Indian to clear out a part of the trees lor his fields. 

hire ' This was done by belting the trees near the 
roots, through the sap wood. This would 
soon destroy the trees so that enough sun- 
light would enter to produce the corn crop. 
During winter the branches would drop to 
the ground, and in the springtime the 
women and children would gather them to- 
gether and burn them as the first prepara- 
tion for the crop. Thus rid of its rubbish, 
the ground was then gone over with rude 
hoes made of stone, or a crooked stick, or 
even the bone of an animal, and put in 
condition for planting. We find reference 
in Colonel Smith's diary that on planting, 
a crab or fish from the stream was caught 
and put in the hill over which was placed 
the kernels of corn. In many places the 
doing or not doing of this meant a yield or 
failure of the crop. It was necessary then 
for the embryonic farmers to keep watch of 
their crops throughout the entire growing 
season. Birds were legion then, and with- 
out careful and continued vigilance on the 
part of the faithful and persistent squaws, 
total destruction from their ravages would 
no doubt have resulted. 
28 



The Indian practised deep cultivation. Indian 
The idea of shallow and level cultivation tj f r * 
was as foreign to him as to thousands of the 
farmers of Ohio to-day. 

He carried the matter a little further, 
however, hilling the corn as high as two 
feet 1 . The corn was plucked before fully 
ripe and a careful selection of the seed corn 
was made from the stalks that contained 
the largest and most perfect ears. How 
fortunately and yet unconsciously they 
were following out the idea of selection ! 
After the corn was husked it was packed 
in birchbark boxes and buried in holes in 
the earth for future use. Many writers have 
told- us that these underground barns were 
carefully concealed by the women, lest the 
lazy and thoughtless husbands and sons 
should discover and eat up the contents. 
These dirty, lazy, contemptible husbands 
and sons were the only hogs the Indians 
had, history tells us, and they would often 
root open the doors and in their gluttony eat 
the whole of the hard-earned larder in a day. 

Indian corn was the chief product raised 
by the Indian, and many references are 

1 Taylor's History of Ohio, page 99. 
29 



Indian 

Agr 

ture 



made by the early travelers and of the war 
ture parties through Ohio to the fields of corn. 

Along the banks of the Ohio and in the 
valleys of the Scioto, the Sandusky and 
Maumee rivers, the Muskingum and Mi- 
amis were many acres of this product raised. 
The usual method of preparation was to 
pound the corn into coarse meal or swell 
hominy and then boil in water, making a 
thickened soup, without salt or anything 
else 1 . 

Another method was to mix with the 
hominy, peas, beans, and fish and flesh of 
all sorts, either newly taken or dried, veni- 
son, bear's flesh, moose, otter, or raccoon, 
cut into small pieces, with nuts, acorns, 
pumpkins, and squashes 2 . 

During the roasting-ear season the hunt- 
ers became exceedingly lazy, and spent 
their whole time in singing and dancing. 
They were unconsciously fulfilling the 
Scripture, beyond those who profess to 
believe them, in taking no thought of the 
morrow. Colonel Smith, in the account 
of his captivity, says that roasting ears 

1 Taylor's History of Ohio, page 99. 

2 Bolles's Industrial History of the U. S. page 3. 

30 



and the food they got from the Indian Indian 
corn lasted them until October in this t7 f re 
state ; after that time they turned to fowl- 
ing. Geese, ducks, sevans, and cranes 
came from the north and alighted on the 
inland bodies of water, without number 
and innumerable, and the streams fur- 
nished abundant fish and fowl, both in 
spring and fall. 

But while corn was the chief product 
raised by the Indians, it was not the only 
one by any means. They cultivated and 
collected several fruits and vegetables. 
Among their corn were planted peas and 
beans, the corn stalks answering the pur- 
pose of brush to support the vines. Pump- 
kins and squashes were also grown, and 
reached a fair degree of development on 
Ohio soil. Both of these were planted in 
the corn, as is the practice of many farm- 
ers of to-day. Bolles makes mention of 
a kind of muskmelon, though very inferior 
in quality. Though wild grapes, wild 
cherries, and plums grew almost in abun- 
dance, in the wild state, where the Indian 
towns were permanent, trees and vines 
were set apart and the fruit often dried 

31 



Indian for winter use. Other wild fruits flour- 
ture° U i sne d here, and were great sources of food. 
In Smith's account of his captivity with 
the Ohio Indians in 1755— '59, he makes 
mention of some observations of their agri- 
cultural life. While not at all agricultural, 
they made use of all edible foods they 
could find. The potato was largely culti- 
vated by the Indians in this state. 1 It, 
with Indian corn, was easily cultivated, and 
furnished a comparatively large amount of 
food. Colonel Smith, in 1755, speaks of 
potatoes growing spontaneously, and de- 
scribes them as a kind of rough brown 
potato, very palatable and nourishing. 
This was probably the Jerusalem arti- 
choke, which answers Colonel Smith's 
description, for it is improbable that either 
Irish or sweet potatoes were ever cultivated 
by the Indians in this state. The Indians 
would peel the so-called potatoes, and dip 
them in raccoon's fat before eating. They 
would have a taste, when prepared this 
way, really like our own sweet potatoes. 
The dried green corn mixed with beans 
was used by almost every tribe in the state. 

1 Shaler's The U. S. of America, page 245. 
32 



During the captivity of Colonel Smith Indian 

Agricid- 
he was nearly all the time in southern t ° re 

Ohio. Speaking of the soil in that section, 
he says: 1 "The land is generally good; 
chiefly first or second rate, and compara- 
tively little or no third rate. The only 
refuse is some swamps, that appear to be 
too wet for use, yet I apprehend that a 
number of them if drained would make 
excellent meadows. The timber is black 
oak, walnut, hickory, cherry, black ash, 
white ash, water ash, buckeye, black and 
honey locust, sugar tree, and elm; there 
is also some land where the timber is 
chiefly white oak or beech — this may be 
called third rate. In the bottoms, and also 
many places in the upland, there is a large 
quantity of wild apple, plum, and red and 
black haw trees. It appeared to be well 
watered and plenty of meadow ground, 
intermixed with upland, but no large prai- 
ries or glades, that I saw or heard of. In 
this route, deer, bear, turkeys, raccoon 
appeared in plenty, but no buffalo, and 
very little sign of elks." 

We see by Smith's observations that 

1 Colonel Smith's Captivity, page 26-28. 
33 



Indian cherry, crab apple, and plums were possi- 

ture ble foods for the Indians. 

Although the Indian was unacquainted 
with the sugar cane, he did not lack sugar, 
and often had it in large quantities. Quot- 
ing again from Colonel Smith, he says: 1 
"In the month of February the Indians 
begin to make sugar. As some of the 
elm bark will strip at this season, the 
squaws often finding a tree that will do, 
cut it down, and with a crooked stick, 
broad and sharp at the end, take the bark 
off the tree, and of this bark make vessels 
in a curious manner that hold about two 
gallons each ; they make about one hun- 
dred of this kind of vessels. In the sugar 
tree they cut a notch sloping down, and at 
the end of the notch strike in a tomahawk ; 
in the place where they struck the toma- 
hawk they drive in a long chip, in order 
to carry the water out from the tree, and 
under this they set the vessel to receive it. 
As sugar trees were large and plenty here, 
they seldom or never notched a tree that 
was not two or three feet over. They also 
made bark vessels for carrying the water 

1 Colonel Smith's Captivity, page 37. 
34 



that would hold about four gallons each. Indian 
They had brass kettles that held about tt f™ u 
fifteen gallons each and other smaller ket- 
tles in which they boiled the water. But 
as they could not at all times boil away 
the water as fast as it was collected, they 
made vessels of bark, that would hold 
about one hundred gallons each, for re- 
taining the water ; and though the sugar 
trees did not run every day, they had 
always a sufficient quantity of water to 
keep them boiling during the whole sugar 
season. The way that we commonly used 
our sugar while encamped was by putting 
it in bear's fat until the fat was almost as 
sweet as the sugar itself, and in this we 
dipped our roasted venison." 

The above gives a good idea of the way 
in which the Ohio Indian obtained his 
sugar. This same process was afterward 
learned from the natives by the whites and 
resorted to by them. This method of 
obtaining sugar was practised by the 
majority of the Ohio tribes as well as 
throughout the whole region of the Great 
Lakes and the St. Lawrence. 

Tobacco was everywhere grown through- 

35 



Indian ou t the state and was as necessary to the 
ture l Indian life as paint and the tomahawk. 
The Indian possessed no domestic animals 
except the dog, nor poultry of any kind. 
And he did not need the latter. The trees 
and groves were better for the culture of 
fowls than were the rude wigwams for shel- 
ter and protection. It is true that some 
tribes were in the habit of capturing vari- 
ous species of birds and animals and of 
taming them as pets, but as a rule not for 
economic purposes. 

Thus the Indian lived on Ohio soil. He 
has left a record that cannot be forgotten. 
A creature of circumstance he has done 
the best he could. Though his agriculture 
was crude and undeveloped in form, yet it 
points that his civilization was not as low 
in the scale as many would have it. 
Shaler 1( 2 advances the reason of slow de- 
velopment of Indian civilization to be due 
to the fact that the Indian had no domesti- 
cated animals as beasts of burden. It is 
true he had the dog, which was common 
to all the Indian tribes throughout America. 

1 Shaler's United States of America. Page 249. 

2 Shaler. Domesticated Animals. Page 218. 

36 



Its use was for the watch or an ally in Indian 
hunting. It was a failure as a beast of t ^ 
burden to the red men. Domestication of 
animals in the thought of Shaler is the last 
stepping stone to perpetuity. The Ameri- 
can Indian never reached it. Ready to 
place the foot on its solid surface the white 
man came and the lone Indian had to grasp 
his weapons of defense, face about and pre- 
pare for the foe. " How thoroughly pre- 
pared," says the same author, " the Indians 
were for this step is evidenced by the alac- 
rity with which they welcomed the intro- 
duction of the horse, pig, sheep, and 
domestic fowls. That unaided they would 
ultimately have domesticated the American 
bison, cannot be doubted ; for the bison 
though wild and intractable could with 
proper care and breeding in a compara- 
tively short time be made serviceable as a 
draft animal and also for its milk. It was 
of immense importance to the Indian in its 
wild state, but under domestication it would 
have proved a powerful factor toward civil- 
ization." 

Ohio was an especially favorite land for 
the Indian. Fertile soil for the corn plant 

37 



Indian and abundant game on inland lake and river, 
ture^ ' a l an d coveted and admired by red men 
and white men as a garden of second crea- 
tion. No wonder the white man struggled 
for it, and the Indian died rather than yield ! 
38 



CHAPTER III . 

PEOPLE OF OHIO 

The first permanent settlement within 
the present limits of the state of Ohio was 
made in 1788. Many years prior to this 
attempts had been made to get people to 
emigrate into the valley of the Ohio. But 
Indian conflicts were many and frightful. 
The first mention we have of an attempt by 
white men in the way of exploration was 
that of Christopher Gist who in 1751 came 
over the mountains from the East, and 
crossed the Ohio river at about Pittsburg ; 
striking for the interior of Ohio and follow- 
ing a trail he passed the Muskingum river 
at Dresden where an Indian town was then 
located ; crossing the Licking and Hock- 
ing rivers he traveled down the Scioto to 
the Ohio and from there down to North 
Carolina. The Indians received him 
peacefully and his acts caused the Indians 
to feel a kind and friendly disposition 
toward the white man. No settlement fol- 
lowed, however, as permanent till 1788, 
when the Ohio company made its purchase 

39 



People a t Marietta. The years of hostilities had 
passed and emigration to the new country 
began. The active spirit of the new move- 
ment was free to the impetus and the living 
column steadily took its Western course, 
till the vast region should be possessed and 
populated. After the beginning was made 
the inflowing tide of newcomers was rapid. 
Every part of New England furnished its 
quota, and New York, Pennsylvania, and 
Virginia contributed to swell the tide of 
emigration as it rolled across the borders 
to the promised land of the West. 
" Never," says an early writer, " since the 
golden age of poets did the siren song of 
peace and of farming reach so many ears 
and gladden so many hearts as when the 
hostilities in the Ohio land had ceased, and 
the prospect of taking up homes there was 
possible." The Ohio, as it is called, seemed 
to be literally a land flowing with milk and 
honey. The farmer wrote home of a soil 
richer to appearance than can possibly be 
made by art; of plains and meadows with- 
out the labor of hands, sufficient to support 
millions of cattle summer and winter ; of 
wheat lands that would vie with the island 
40 



of Sicily ; and of bogs from which might People 
be gathered cranberries enough to make * 
tarts for all New England : while the law- 
yer said that while on his circuit his horse's 
legs were dyed to the knees with the juice 
of the wild strawbeny. Such was the 
report of the fertile lands and pleasant 
climate of the Ohio land. Emigrants fast 
came in. South, East, North, and West 
received their share. The country where- 
ever they went to plant their homes was 
covered with dense forests, and the echo 
of the axes was the first sound of civilized 
industry in all the regions. The bluffs 
and bottoms and hills were covered with 
hickory, walnut, ash, poplar, and other 
trees indicative of good soil. And as the 
valley stretched out from creek to river the 
gigantic sycamore loomed up in view, 
thick set, and lofty from lake to river boun- 
dary. Pioneer life is prominent in the his- 
tory of every state^'and country, and the 
mission of the pioneer is great and noble. 
If for one reason Ohio is a great state, it is 
because of the greatness of her early peo- 
ple. Their monument is the state itself, 
glowing and peering in all its sublimity, 

41 



People glorious because of the unselfish lives of 
°J ° tfie heroes of early Ohio life. We quote 1 
the following as typical of the Ohio 
pioneer's home : 

" The first business of each settler was 
to make a little clearing and erect a log 
cabin, which was built of unhewed logs, 
poles, and clapboards, puncheons, and in 
those days wooden pins instead of nails. 
In its erection, no tools were necessary 
except an axe, an auger, and perhaps a 
cross-cut. Straight trees of the proper 
size were cut down and either drawn by a 
team or carried with the assistance of 
neighbors, to the building spot. The logs, 
being cuts of proper lengths, were notched 
and laid up somewhat as children build 
cob-houses. If a large or double cabin 
was desired the logs were laid up to form 
two square pens, with an open space 
between connected by a roof above and a 
floor below, so as to form a parallelogram 
nearly three times as long as wide. In the 
open space the family sometimes took their 
meals in pleasant weather, and it served 
the triple purpose of kitchen, lumber room, 

1 History of Athens County by Walker, pages 114-116. 
42 



and dining-room. The roof was covered People 
with thin splits of oak, something like J 
staves, about four feet long, from four to 
six inches wide, and about one third of an 
inch thick. Instead of being nailed, these 
staves or clapboards were generally con- 
fined in their places by heavy timbers, laid 
at right angles across them, giving the 
roof a unique and rough appearance. A 
doorway and windows were made by 
chopping out the logs of proper length 
and height before laying them up, so as to 
make suitable apertures. The doors were 
made of thin clapboards, split, like the 
roofing, from fresh cut timber, and were 
generally hung in the ingenious fashion on 
large wooden hinges, and fastened with a 
substantial wooden latch. Frequently the 
latch was raised from the outside by a 
small leather string attached to it, and 
passing through a hole from within. When 
the string was drawn in the latch could 
not be raised from the outside nor the door 
opened ; hence the western expression to 
signify hospitality, that ' the latch string is 
always out.' Into the window apertures, 
small pieces of wood were fitted for sash 

43 



People and upon them paper was pasted and 



of Ohio 



rendered translucent by oiling. Wooden 
shutters made of staves, like the doors, 
were attached to the windows and closed at 
night. The floors, when any were used, 
were made of short, thick plank, split from 
poplar, walnut, or oak. In some cases the 
more wealthy settlers had logs hewed on 
the inside and the puncheon floor hewed 
and planed. For a fireplace and chimney 
a space about six feet was cut out of the 
end of the cabin, the lower part of the 
chimney built of rough stones, and the rest 
laid up with small logs and flat pieces like 
laths, cemented with clay mortar, well 
intermixed with short cut straw or hay. 
The chimney had a huge aperture, and 
tapered up like a pyramid. The hearth 
was made of clay mortar or sometimes a 
large slab of sandstone. Finally the 
spaces between the logs were filled with 
timber, split like firewood, from some soft 
tree, and made impervious to wind and 
rain by daubing the cracks with mud. A 
few chairs and stools, and a bedstead of 
poles, interlaced with bark, and furnished 
with plenty of bear skins, a table split from 
44 



a large log, and some cooking and eating People 
utensils, constituted, perhaps, the bulk of ^ 
the furniture within. Though rude in struc- 
ture and limited in accommodations, they 
answered the charming places of home." 

Not only have their walls sheltered rural 
plenty, manly independence, guileless 
honesty, contentment, and happiness, but 
they have been the birthplace of men and 
women who have left their impress on the 
age in which they lived. No more charm- 
ing picture of honest industry and unal- 
loyed happiness can be imagined than was 
afforded by the interior of these rude 
cabins. When the winter wind blew, and 
the shutters were barred, and the walls of 
hewed logs showed the white lines of 
plaster which marked the interstices ; 
when the fire blazed high from the wide, 
open chimney, illuminating the stores of 
dried meats or vegetables which hang from 
the rafters, and the rustic table, around 
which are gathered the happy and healthy 
family, smokes with woodland plenty — at 
such a time no one could doubt that even 
these primitive log cabins were compatible 
with real and profound enjoyment. 

45 



People When the state was settled such glowing 

accounts of its soil and climate and possibili- 
ties were scattered about, that people flocked 
to her borders, and the territory of Ohio 
became in a short time one of the most 
populous, wealthiest, and most respected 
of America's territories. Her prosperity 
and wealth is due in a degree to the 
advantages given in rich profusion by 
nature ; but a great part is due to the 
character of the first settlers ; the right 
impulse which they gave the institutions of 
the commonwealth, the well directed 
energy with which that impulse was 
followed by their successors, and to the 
hardy and industrious character of the 
population that streamed in from the other 
states. Surely the people of Ohio had 
forefathers worthy to be founders of this 
new empire. The pioneers who first pene- 
trated and opened up the wilderness within 
the limits of this state were a hardy, 
adventurous race of men and women, 
inured to toil, possessed of courage, steady 
energy, and strong practical common 
sense. 

The suffering of pioneer life and human 
46 



foe, the privations and the hazardous dan- People 

tt 1 n i Of OhtO 

gers could not have been endured by any 
other class. Their declaration in the bill 
of rights that " neither slavery nor involun- 
tary servitude " should exist upon the soil 
of Ohio had much to do in making the 
millions of free, industrious, intelligent citi- 
zens of their well directed and constant 
labor to add to the wealth of the state and 
the prosperity and happiness of the people. 
This freedom of every creature had much 
to do with strengthening the bold, free 
thought and action of the people. 

The early pioneers were not favorable to 
the formation of large settlements. These 
would be hurtful to the success of their fav- 
orite pursuit. The backwoodsman, as a 
rule, had improvements confined in extent 
to a rude log cabin ; a small piece of ground 
cleared and fenced for raising Indian corn ; 
a horse, a cow, a few hogs, and some 
poultry comprised the live stock. The fur- 
ther operations were performed with the 
rifle. If the number of settlers increased 
these backwoodsmen moved further into the 
interior until about 1820, when the state 
became fairly occupied, the continued 

47 



People change of homes was abandoned, and a 
higher state of agriculture began. Now 
an orchard was planted, and livestock 
became more numerous than that of the 
backwoods predecessor, but the great 
trouble was the inferior quality of all the 
livestock, until the infusion of new and 
pure blood by the importation of later 
years. The agriculture of this time was 
crude and undeveloped, and the Ohio occu- 
pant was just preparing the conditions for 
the larger scale of work when the era was 
to begin. From 1810 to 1820 few new 
developments were made and data of the 
agricultural condition rare and unsatisfac- 
tory. At this time deer, bears, wild tur- 
keys, and in a word, almost every variety 
of game was abundant, and the farmer's 
family enjoyed game in its season to a 
greater extent than they do at present the 
flesh of domestic animals. For with the 
rifle's aid the tillage, care, and curing of 
many an acre of corn and grass was saved. 
The rifle was the most indispensable neces- 
sity about the house, not so much as pro- 
tection from the Indians, but as a means of 
furnishing food, and the gunsmith was 
48 



more important than the blacksmith. In People 
many localities the female portion of the J 
farmer's family was as good a shot as the 
males. 1 From 1810 to 1820 farming con- 
sisted in clearing the land, sowing a few 
acres of wheat, a few of corn, buckwheat, 
flax, oats, and potatoes. During 2 this period 
wheat declined to the minimum price of 
25 cents per bushel; corn, 12 to 15 cents; 
oats, 10 cents; potatoes, 10 to 12 cents per 
bushel ; the price of a cow w r as six to eight 
dollars ; of a horse, twenty-four to forty ; 
and other products in like ratio. 

Speaking of the work done, Flint says, 3 
" Farming establishments in Ohio are 
small. Most cultivators do everything by 
themselves, even to the fabrication of their 
agricultural implements. Few hire others 
permanently, it being difficult and expen- 
sive to keep laborers for any great length of 
time. They are not servants, all are hired 
hands. The utensils used in agriculture are 
not numerous. The plow is short, clumsy, 
and not calculated to make either deep or 
neat furrows. The harrow is triangular and 

lOhio Agricultural Report, 1859, page 475. 
2 Ohio Agricultural Report, page 468. 
s Flint's Letters from America. 1818. 
49 



People i s light. Articles are carried on horseback ; 

of Ohio u x , j 

J heavy ones by a coarse sledge, a cart, or 

wagon. The smaller implements are the 
axe, the pickaxe, and the cradle, scythe — 
by far the most commendable backwoods 
apparatus." 

The grain cradle is described at great 
length by this traveler, in that it is a val- 
uable implement. In his travels through 
Pennsylvania he did not see it, and so was 
inclined to the opinion that it is an Ohio 
implement. In 1820 there were not half a 
dozen points in Ohio where wheat could be 
sold for cash ; and corn and rye could not 
be sold as a commodity at all. So it was 
converted into whiskey, and during the 
period of 1820 to 1826 a large amount of 
corn and rye was made into this beverage. 
The trouble was, no outlet for the agricul- 
tural products. People knew they could 
dispose of the surplus if they had markets, 
and as the completion of the Erie canal 
approached, strangers having heard of the 
haven land here, poured into the state. 
Many coming from old states where agri- 
culture had been better developed, brought 
with them experience and knowledge, in- 
5° 



dustry, frugality, and perseverence. From People 
1826 to 1836 large numbers immigrated to °* 
this state. Almost every one purchased a 
farm, of from sixty to one hundred and 
sixty acres. In the hands of this later 
class of immigrants the resources of the state 
very rapidly developed. 

From the very first opening of the state 
to settlers there was continual inflowing of 
immigrants. Josiah Espy 1 in his observa- 
tions through the state in 1805, says, " The 
people of Ohio have come from nearly 
every state in the union, but chiefly from 
Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, 
Maryland, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and 
during the present year I have good 
reason to conclude that from twenty to 
thirty thousand souls have entered the state 
for the purpose of making it their future 
residence. At the present time the inhab- 
itants of the state of Ohio, being so lately 
collected from all states, have as yet, 
obtained no national character. 

" Iri traveling through this immense and 
beautiful country, one idea, mingled with 
melancholy emotions, almost continually 

1 Ohio Valley Historical Collection, page 23. 
51 



of Ohio 



P i $f? e - P resent ed itself to my mind, which was 
this: 1 That for many years the people of 
that great tract of country would separate 
themselves from the Atlantic states and 
establish an independent empire. The 
peculiar situation of the country and the 
nature of the men will gradually lead to 
this crisis." 

What a mistake the observer made. 
Along with the industry, knowledge, re- 
ligion, which the early settlers brought 
with them was government and patriot- 
ism. Where have you found a more law- 
abiding people ; what primitive citizenship, 
more conservative and conscientious ; or a 
mission filled better than by the pioneer 
settler of Ohio. What state can show a 
record so clear, or a galaxy of names so 
lustrous in defense of that union which our 
observer had thought Ohio able to destroy. 

The patriotism of her brave men, the 
loyalty of her women, worthy descendants 
of noble pioneers, is to-day proverbial. 

i Ryan — A History of Ohio, Ohio in War, page 162. 
52 



CHAPTER IV 

CANALS, RAILROADS, AND TURNPIKES 

Internal improvements did not begin in 
Ohio at a very early date. Before 1832 
there was no means of transportation, ex- 
cepting a national road and ships on the 
northern and southern borders, rafts on the 
rivers, and the rude ox- and horse-carts, 
over impassable, unmade roads. With this 
state of affairs it could not be expected there 
would be much or any advance in agricul- 
ture. Livestock could be driven to market 
though very unsatisfactorily ; but wheat, 
corn, and other products could not receive 
any improvement and development when 
they could not be taken to market, no mat- 
ter how much they were in demand there. 
With the opening of the Erie canal the first 
real and strong impulse was given to the 
agriculture of the state. Even before its 
completion the realization had come to all 
that progress was now certain. Ohio with 
her splendid climate and fertile soil could 
furnish abundance to the country if only 

53 



Canals, means were provided for transporting it. 
roads That realization came in 1832, and then our 
and agriculture proper began. The history of 

tikes' ^ e trans P orta ti° n i n tne state is divided by 
the course of events into three periods. 
From the time of the first settlement until 
the completion of the Ohio canal in 1832, 
during which there were no artificial ways 
to facilitate the transportation of the farm 
products of the state, is the first. 

The second period, from 1832 to 1852, 
was distinguished by the National road, 
extending from Cumberland city, Mary- 
land, to Zanesville. The remarkable pros- 
perity arising from the eight hundred miles 
of canals in the state, and ultimately the 
introduction of railroads and their ascend- 
ency as a means of transportation in 1852, 
when they had accomplished through lines 
from the leading cities of the state to the 
great commercial cities of the East. 

From 1852 to the present time railroad 
transportation has been a large factor in 
the prosperity of Ohio, and may be prop- 
erly considered the third period. 

During the first period the principal 
means of communication between Ohio and 
54 



the Eastern states was by pack horses. 1 Canals, 
Roads were made and improved from year roa( j s 
to year when Pennsylvania wagons drawn and 
by from four to six horses were seen. The J£ n ~ 
early common roads had been made where 
nature offered the least resistance. During 
the early days no attempts were made to 
improve them. Where they crossed streams 
of the smaller sizes, they were forded. Even 
as late as 1830 there were but few bridges 
over the larger streams of the state. These 
roads were moderately good during eight 
months of the year, but the winter season 
found them quite impassable. 

The turnpike road was the next step. 
The first one in this state extended from 
Warren, Trumball county, to Lake Erie. 
Another turnpike, one hundred and six 
miles in length, extended from Columbus 
to Sandusky city. One from Cincinnati to 
Zanesville through Chillicothe and Lancas- 
ter. Another from Perrysburg to San- 
dusky. An excellent turnpike road was 
made from Cincinnati to Springfield, 
through Lebanon, Waynesville, and Xenia. 
These and a few other minor ones made 

1 Howe's History of Ohio, Vol. I, page 106. 
55 



Canals, U p the turnpike roads of the state as late 

Rail- r r 

roods, as l8 4°- 

and So difficult was travel in these days that 

fakes' our National government entered upon a 
scheme of national improvements. Of these 
the National road, or Cumberland road, 
was one. It commenced at Cumberland in 
Maryland, running thence westward to the 
Ohio river, through Pennsylvania, and 
thence through central Ohio. The first 
appropriation was in 1806, when Congress 
voted $30,000 to make a survey of route and 
report. It was subject to approval of the 
president. Having gained that, appropria- 
tions were made from time to time thereafter, 
until 1838, when a little over three millions 
of dollars had been expended in this work. 
About 1825 the people of eastern Ohio 
began the use of this great route, its first 
artificial means for the transportation of its 
commerce. 

This great road opened the way through 
the mountain barriers of the Allegheny 
range, and made level a way for the com- 
merce of the East, and for the pioneer and 
his family, who were seeking homes in the 
wilds of Ohio and the farther West. It was 
56 



the first great movement of the people in Canals, 
the direction of internal improvements. roaa - St 
The progress in building the National road and 
was slow. An appropriation was made *£ es ~ 
March 2, 1825, for extending it westwardly 
from Zanesville. It had a great deal to do 
with the great prosperity of Ohio, and the 
opening of the new era in the history of the 
state by the marks distinctly made when 
canal construction was begun. 

The introduction of steamboats upon our 
rivers and lakes quickened the enterprise 
of the people, and various schemes for 
facilitating the transportation of freight 
were discussed everywhere throughout the 
state. The Muskingum was navigable 1 
150 miles and by a portage of five miles 
from a small lake at its head, a line of 
communication was formed into the Cuya- 
hoga, thence into Lake Erie. The 
Hocking river was navigable for sixty 
miles, with the exception of a few falls 
and dams. The Scioto was navigable 150 
miles with but a few obstructions, which 
were passable in high waters. The Great 
Miami was navigable for 125 miles, and a 

1 Ohio Railway Report, 1881, page 123. 
57 



Canals, portage of five miles communicated with 
roads ^ e Maumee and thence to the lake. With 
and the lake on the north of the state, the river 
urn- on ^ e sout ]~^ an( j these meagre tributaries, 
were formed the only ways of commerce 
enjoyed by the people of Ohio during the 
first period of transportation. At this time 
no artificial roads had been made ; canals 
had not been thought of; the rivers, as 
above described, at the most were hazard- 
ous at all times, always tedious, and often 
impracticable. Nothing but necessity 
prompted the inhabitants to engage in 
commerce. The farmer had no motive to 
increase the products of his fields beyond 
the wants of his family. The "new- 
comers" or immigrants created the only 
demand which existed in the interior settle- 
ments for the surplus products of agricul- 
ture. 1 As early as 1815 public opinion 
was turned toward water courses for com- 
merce. The want of a permanent navi- 
gable water communication between Lake 
Erie and the Ohio river had long been 
felt. Private individuals had endeavored 
to get a charter for the company to make 

1 Burnett, " Notes of the Northwest." 
S3 



such a canal, but all had failed. The tide Canals, 
of public opinion began to move, however, roa # s 
in the direction favorable to public owner- and 
ship of such a canal as early as 1820, and *££ m 
to Micajiel T. Williams 1 of Cincinnati, a 
member of the legislature, who was the 
soul of the movement, credit for the early 
commencement of the canal is due. A 
bill was introduced into the general assem- 
bly on the 6th day of December, 1821, and 
became a law the 31st of January there- 
after. By the passage of the act, commis- 
sioners were appointed, whose duty it was 
to employ an engineer to examine the 
country and report on the practicability of 
making a canal from Lake Erie to the 
Ohio river. These commissioners em- 
ployed Hon. James Geddes of Onondaga 
county, New York, as expert engineer, 
who arrived at Columbus in the month of 
June, 1822. These commissioners them- 
selves assisted in the examination, and de- 
voted nearly all their time to the service. It 
was finally decided early in 1825 to extend 
the route, commencing at Cleveland and 
ending at Portsmouth, on the Ohio river. 

1 Executive Documents. 1820-1825. 
59 



Canals, They also determined on making a canal 

roads fr° m Cincinnati to Dayton, on the Great 

and Miami river. In the meantime a board of 

Tu [ n ~ canal commissioners had been created by 
pikes J 

law, and a stock had been created, and 
these fund commissioners had borrowed 
money in Newport city sufficient to begin 
the excavation of the canals and carry on 
the work the first year. All this being 
done, David S. Bates as chief engineer 
and several assistants were appointed, and 
work on the Ohio canals was begun at 
once. 

The total disbursements on canals 1 up 
to December i, 1832, amounted to 
$5,163,025.24. The aggregate length of 
navigable canals constructed and owned 
by the state at that time, amounted to four 
hundred miles, comprising 184 lift locks, 
overcoming a total ascent and descent of 
1,547 feet; nine guard locks; twenty-two 
aqueducts ; 214 culverts, 182 of which 
were of stone masonry, sixty of wood ; 
nine dams for crossing streams, and twelve 
feeder dams. The main trunks of the Ohio 
and Miami canals have each a minimum 

1 Reports of Canal Commissioners of Ohio. 
60 



breadth of forty feet at the water line, and Canals, 
twenty-six feet at the bottom, with four y 0ads 
feet depth of water. A larger proportion and 
of both, particularly the Ohio canal, is of J^T" 
much larger dimensions, having a breadth 
at water line varying from sixty to one 
hundred feet, and a depth of from five to 
twelve feet. In many places it even ex- 
ceeds, for considerable distances, these 
dimensions in both depth and breadth. It 
was a standing rule in the construction of 
the canals, to increase their dimensions 
beyond the minimum, in all places where 
it could be done without materially enhanc- 
ing the cost. 

The walls of the locks are of solid stone 
masonry, resting on floors, composed of 
timbers laid crosswise of the pit, covered 
with planks three inches in thickness, both 
in chambers and under the walls, and be- 
tween the walls with an additional floor of 
two-inch plank well joined and secured 
with spikes to the timbers on which they 
rest. The face of the walls are of cut 
stone, laid in regular range work, and in 
line mortar, the whole wall grouted with 
the same material. The breadth of the 

61 



Canals, locks is fifteen feet between the walls and 
roads tne l en gth of the chambers, being the face 
and between the upper and lower gates, ninety 
. u ? n ~ feet, admitting boats seventy-eight feet in 
length, and fourteen feet ten inches in 
breadth, to pass freely through. 

Aqueducts were constructed with wooden 
trunks supported by pins of stone masonry 
which in the Ohio canal is the same char- 
acter as that used in the locks. 

The Ohio and Erie canal, extending 
from the Ohio river at Portsmouth to Cleve- 
land in Lake Erie, was finished in 1832. 
It is three hundred and nine miles long. 
This main canal has many other canals 
connected with it. The side cut leading 
from Lockbourne to Columbus is eleven 
miles long. Ascending the main canal at 
Carrollton, a side cut canal to Lancaster, 
the falls of Hocking and Altoona, is seventy- 
five miles long. In Licking county a canal 
is made from the Miami trunk to Granville. 
Still ascending to Dresden we find the main 
canal is connected with the Muskingum 
river by a dam and lock. 

The next canal connecting to the main 
one is the Waldhoning canal at Roscoe. 
62 



Ascending to Bolivar in Tuscarawas county Canals, 
at the mouth of Sandy creek is a canal one roa( J s 
hundred miles in length. This canal con- and 
nects with the town of Beaver on the Ohio T L u P l ~ 



river, thirty miles below Pittsburg. Start- 
ing from near Beaver is another canal to 
intersect the main canal near Akron. The 
Miami and Erie system canal extends from 
Cincinnati to Toledo, passing Middletown, 
Dayton, Piqua, etc. 

The following are the principal canals 
of the state, which were built at a cost in- 
cluding the different reservoirs as feeders, 
$15,967,650: 

Ohio canal 

The Miami and Erie system 
Hocking canal . 
Waldhoning canal 
Muskingum canal 

For twenty-five years these canals and 
waterways were the stimulating factors of 
our agriculture, commerce, and population. 
Farming communities increased and flour- 
ished where they had not before. The 
cereal crops increased in production 
and area many fold. Through their influ- 
ence small farms developed into large, pro- 

63 



pikes 



334 


miles. 


282 


a 


56 


tt 


25 


a 


91 


u 



Canals, gressive ones, towns were built and villages 
roads became cities, and agriculture and trade 
and became profitable enterprises. The newly 
Turn- found markets for farm products added fifty 
and one hundred per centum to their prices, 
thus enlarging the field of agriculture and 
bringing wealth to the state by its exten- 
sion. Farming now began as a productive 
commercial industry that was to be devel- 
oped and make Ohio one of America's 
leading agricultural states. 

The first railroad 1 made in this state, 
was finished in 1836 by the people of 
Toledo, a town some two years old then. 
The road extended westwardly into Michi- 
gan and was about thirty miles in length. 
A second railroad 2 extended from Cincin- 
nati to Springfield. This road followed 
the Ohio river up the Little Miami river, 
and then turned northwardly up its valley 
to Xenia, and passing the Yellow Springs 
reaches Springfield. Its total length was 
about ninety miles. The state owned one 
half of this road, individuals and the city 
of Cincinnati the other half. 



Atwater's History of Ohio, page 279. 
Atwater's History of Ohio, page 279. 

64 



As soon as railroads were begun char- Canals, 
ters were given for numerous other rail- roa j s 
roads, but many of these were never made, and 
because of the want of enterprise and pub- Jj££ 
lie spirit. 

From 1852 when there were 890 miles 
of railroad in operation, until 1869, when 
there were 3,324 miles, there was great 
activity in the building of railroads in Ohio. 
The increase of miles of railroad in the 



state is as to 


Hows : 






1838 




30 


miles. 


1853 




• 1,385 


it 


1858 




. 2,788 


a 


1880 




• 5> 6 54 


a 


1896 




. 12,596 


a 



In 1869 an important change 1 was ac- 
complished in railway management by the 
consolidation of railroads into through lines, 
connecting Chicago with the Atlantic cities. 
The act providing for consolidations was 
passed by the Ohio legislature in 185 1 and 
was perhaps the earliest act of the kind in 
any of the states. Many minor consolida- 
tions of railroads took place prior to the 

* Ohio Railroad Report, iS8i,page 135. 
65 



Canals, 
Rail- 
roads, 
and 
Turn- 
pikes 



formation of through lines. The first of 
the through lines was formed by the exe- 
cution of a lease between the Pittsburg, 
Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway com- 
pany and the Columbus, Chicago & In- 
diana Central Railway company, dated 
January 22, 1869, to take effect February 
1, 1869. The Pennsylvania Railway com- 
pany was the third party to the contract. 
This was the first line formed between Chi- 
cago and the sea-coast. 1 In December, 
1869, the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chi- 
cago Railroad company was added to this ; 
and the same year the Lake Shore & 
Michigan Southern was added, making the 
third through line. In 1874 ^ e Baltimore 
& Ohio was added, forming the fourth 
through line. 

"These long lines unbroken in their 
management are practically arrangements 
for the more economical, commodious, safe, 
and perfect operation of several lines of 
railroads." These lessened the cost of 
freight and had a material effect upon the 
agricultural commerce of the state. Dr. 
Townshend says, " The railroads appear to 

1 Ohio Railroad Report, 1881, page 135. 

66 



have doubled the price of flour, trebled the Canals, 
price of pork, and quadrupled the price of r ™^ s 
corn." and 

A century has given us a wonderful de- ^!? n ~ 
velopment of transportation facilities. 
Ohio is no longer a state of isolated points. 
But her farms are connected to-day with 
fairly good roads and pikes, her towns and 
cities banded with the canal, railway, and 
electric road. Commerce is easy, cheap, 
and rapid. As long as there was no way 
to market the produce from the fertile 
farms, agriculture in the state was slow 
with no chance of development. But as 
soon as the touch of the canal and railway 
systems was made, the impulse acted like 
the magician's wand, converting in a mo- 
ment the industries of Ohio, from their un- 
developed, unimproved conditions, into a 
profusion of wealth, greatness, and prosper- 
ous success. 

67 



CHAPTER V 

PRINCIPAL FARM CROPS 

The history of farm crops in Ohio, like 
that of the livestock of the state, has been 
one of gradual development. While some 
are of general importance, others have a 
sectional history only. 

The early settlers brought with them 
seeds of all kinds, for they intended to de- 
velop the agriculture of the state at once. 
With a soil of virgin fertility and a climate 
favorable in temperature and rainfall, do 
we wonder that in a half century Ohio rose 
to third in agricultural importance in the 
United States? The farmers of the state 
have directed their attention to the follow- 
ing principal crops : Wheat, corn, oats, 
barley, rye, tobacco, grasses, potatoes, 
flax, hemp, sorghum, and the sugar beet. 
Neither history nor tradition tells us who 
first introduced the various crops into the 
state. We do know, however, they were 
brought with the pioneers, not to be grown 
for commerce, but as means of subsistence. 
From a few acres at first they became 
68 



spread over vast areas, and instead of fur- Princi- 
nishing food alone for those who cultivated p arm 
and grew them, they are now important Crops 
factors in commerce and international in 
importance. 

From the first, though in but a small 
degree, mixed farming was practised. 
The farms were small and undeveloped. 
The scientific idea to the Ohio pioneers was 
a foreign matter. They found everything 
in Ohio, the representative state of the 
West, new; as much so, perhaps, as did 
the New England colonists. The uncer- 
tainties, too, were very great. Their crops 
and their flocks were subject to ravages by 
new enemies. Likewise were the crops 
liable to such mishaps, for each had its 
preference for weather ; each had its own 
possibilities of danger, each its own ene- 
mies, and each its own diseases. Practi- 
cally all the general farm crops found 
favorable climate and soil for their develop- 
ment in the state ; yet each has experienced 
years of failure or years with bountiful har- 
vests. The farmers of the state were ener- 
getic from the first to introduce improved 
varieties of all, and the history of farm 

69 



Princi- crops in Ohio has been one of continual 
Farm development and care. If the soil of the 
Crops state had received from the farmers of the 
state the same careful treatment and exper- 
iment as the different farm crops, the agri- 
culture of the state would be quite different 
from what it is to-day. Crops of all kinds 
in the early history of the state could be 
produced with abundant yield at little 
effort. But that virgin fertility has been 
destroyed, and thousands of acres have 
become depleted, exhausted, and abused 
and to-day, as known by all, there are re- 
quired all the knowledge of science, and 
the care and painstaking efforts of practice 
to produce even moderate results. 

Wheat has always been extensively 
raised in this state, and as early as 1825 
was the stable crop. One of the first 1 kinds 
of wheat cultivated in the state, and espe- 
cially in central Ohio, was the Red Chaff 
Bearded, which was introduced by the 
early settlers. It grew with a " heavy 
crop of straw, short, plump berry, full 
bosom, full weight, and for a considerable 
time produced the most abundant crops." 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1858, page in. 
70 



Tradition says that it was not an uncom- Princi- 
mon thing for fifty bushels of this variety p arm 
to be produced from one acre, on a small Crops 
field. About 1838, being very susceptible 
to rust, it passed into disuse ; so badly was 
it affected in its latter days, the last crops 
were often utterly worthless. 

A more hardy variety displaced it, 
known in these days as Velvet Chaff. 
This variety also grew a good straw, very 
long heads and a luxuriant beard, with a 
longer berry than the Red Chaff Bearded, 
and nearly as plump. It produced abun- 
dantly ; often from seventy to eighty grains 
were taken from a single head. It made 
very white, nice flour. For a short time 
this variety was the standard one, and 
" wheat growers thought their fortunes 
made," but alas, the rust used up this 
variety also, it only producing two or three 
crops, after which there was so much 
effort made to produce it, and such utter 
failures that upon the whole its introduc- 
tion was a serious loss. About the same 
time a White Flint wheat was introduced, 
which produced well for a crop or two, but 
was soon abandoned on account of rust. 

71 



Prime*- A variety called the Michigan wheat was 
p arm introduced on the failure of the old Red 
Crops Chaff, which produced a few good crops 
before it was destroyed by the rust. A lit- 
tle later, about 1845 or 1846, the Mediter- 
ranean variety was obtained, which had a 
"good growth of rather weak straw, but 
generally a sure crop, seldom if ever 
injured by rust, when sown early on good 
land well prepared." For a long time this 
variety was sown, and has been worth mil- 
lions of dollars to the farmers of Ohio. 
The next varieties introduced were the 
Genesee and Malta, both of which soon 
became badly affected with rust and passed 
out of use. Other varieties came in their 
turn, to succeed or fail, and to-day we 
have several scores of varieties of this 
cereal. The returns of the acreage and 
yield of the wheat crops from 1850, when 
returns were made by law, to the present 
time, forms a very interesting theme of 
study as presented in the following table : 
72 



Year. 
1850 

^55 
i860 

1865 

1870 

1875 
1880 

1890 



Average in Princi- 
bushels. p a i 

18. Farm 

13.81 Cro ^ s 
13.80 

9.00 
11.00 

9.22 
17.20 
15.60 



From 1850 there was a gradual decline 
in yield per acre until it had become but 
7.2 bushels in 1859. The yield advanced 
slightly after that year, and remained for 
about nine years at 12.11. Since then, 
through the introduction of commercial 
fertilizers and better tillage, the average 
yield per acre has increased. 

In the early history of the state corn was 
one of the most extensively grown crops ; 
the virgin soil and climate were conducive 
to splendid yields. Michaux, 1 in describ- 
ing his observations in Ohio, says, "The 
culture of maize is nearly the only one 
which the early inhabitants follow, and 
although it is far from being brought to 

1 Michaux Travels, page 133. 

73 



Princi- perfection, and the land is still so full of 
Farm roots ' ** 1S nevertheless so fertile that the 
Crops stems rise ten or twelve feet, and the 
annual produce is from twenty-five to thirty 
quintals per acre. During the first years 
which succeed the clearing, wheat grows 
too rank and sheds its seed without form- 
ing an ear, so that it cannot be sown until 
the end of four or five years, by which 
time the earth is freed from the greater 
part of the stumps and roots which re- 
mained in it at an earlier period. Nine 
tenths of the interior farmers use only 
maize bread ; they make it into loaves of 
eight or ten pounds weight, which they 
bake in cottage ovens ; or into small cakes, 
baked on a plank before the fire. The 
bread is generally eaten hot, and is not 
much relished by those who are unaccus- 
tomed to it." 

About 1833 much interest was being cen- 
tered in the sugar beet industry. France 
was making quite a success of the manu- 
facture of sugar from the beet at that time, 
and it was thought the same could be done 
in Ohio. One of the most enthusiastic 
supporters of the idea was Mr. J. Sullivan 
74 



of Columbus, who deserves the highest Princi- 
praise for having demonstrated at that p arm 
early date the great aptitude of Ohio for Crops 
that species of agricultural investment of 
labor and capital. Liberal expensive ex- 
periments at that time were made with par- 
tial success in the extraction of the sac- 
charine matter, but as the company could 
not succeed in securing crystallized sugar 
because the facilities for extracting the 
sugar were so meagre, the culture was 
abandoned before the accomplishment of 
the desired object. The cause of the 
abandonment at this date was only because 
the want of practical experience made 
the manufacture of sugar uncertain in the 
minds of the members of the co-partnership 
engaged in the experiment. 

In the early settlement of Ohio flax was 
grown for the fibre, to be manufactured 
within the family for clothing and other 
domestic purposes. The seed produced an 
oil, the demand for which increased for 
a while with the growth of the state ; and 
in later years the plant was grown chiefly 
for the seed. If a paper mill 1 was in the 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1875, P a S e 333- 
75 



Princi- vicinity the fibre was taken and manu- 
p arm factured into paper ; but if the distance 
Crops was too great, the fibre was permitted to 
rot in the manure pile. At one time there 
were quite a number of flax manufactur- 
ing establishments located in Ohio, which 
for a time did a fair business, but were 
finally destroyed by unfavorable legislation. 
Hemp, also, in the early history of the 
state was to some extent produced. But 
with the development of the cotton industry 
in the South, both flax and hemp gradually 
declined in value and production. Since 
then the cotton fibre has completely sup- 
planted the place once occupied by flax 
for clothing and other purposes ; and the 
oil produced from cotton seed is much 
esteemed in the arts — possibly it fully rivals 
the flax seed for all artistic purposes. 
Then, too, another rival to the flax seed 
oil is found in certain preparations of petro- 
leum, which serve an admirable purpose 
for the rougher and more common kinds 
of painting. The cotton seed oil being 
cheaper than that of flax, there is no sur- 
prise in the decline of the flax industry in 
Ohio. 

76 



Rye and barley at one time were exten- Printi- 
sively grown, but they have fallen short p arm 
in acreage and value within the last two Crop 
decades. 

Ohio lies in the great agricultural belt 
of the United States, and consequently 
the majority of all important crops have 
received culture and attention some time 
during the history of the state. Numerous 
varieties of all kinds of farm crops have 
been tried for success or failure, and 
though a century of our history has passed 
we are just now systematically making the 
tests and trials of the best kinds and the 
best conditions for the production of the 
various farm crops on Ohio soils. 

77 



CHAPTER VI 

HORTICULTURE AND FORESTRY 

When the early immigrants came to 
Ohio they brought with them either young 
fruit trees or grafts of some favorite variety 
from the old homestead, as well as seeds 
of the vegetables and different kinds of 
fruits and grains. So the kinds and vari- 
eties of fruit depended upon the place from 
whence the immigrants came. On the 
Western Reserve were found chiefly the 
New England varieties, while in the 
counties south of this section the Pennsyl- 
vania and Maryland varieties predomi- 
nated ; but at Marietta the New England 
varieties were found as well as throughout 
southeastern Ohio. 

Prominent among the different kinds of 
fruit were the apple, pear, and cherry. 
The first year these were planted in the 
garden patch, to be replanted in a year or 
two in the few acres later cleared. In the 
congenial soil and climate the trees grew 
thriftily and successfully for the settlers, 
and in a very few years yielded fruit. In 
78 



that virgin soil, filled with available plant Horti- 
food, we are not surprised at the ease that and 
everything would come to maturity. There Forestry 
is occasionally found an old apple tree of 
the first settlers, but most of them have dis- 
appeared. One of the oldest orchards in 
the state was at Marietta, Ohio, which was 
located there in 1790. The place on which 
this orchard was started was known as the 
Dana farm. " Some four or five acres on 
the bank of the river were cleared the first 
season, and apple seedlings, as soon as 
large enough, transplanted to it. Some 
few of these still remain. There was some 
fair fruit in it, but none that was worth prop- 
agating." Pears, peaches, and cherries 
in their native element flourished without 
signs of disease and produced bountifully 
the most luscious fruit. In 1805 the peach 
tree l was most extensively cultivated, if we 
may use the term, in the state. It required 
no attention, but would grow with such 
vigor as to bear in the third year. Pears 2 
flourished abundantly until 1825 when they 
were affected with the blight and by 1830 

1 Micheaux Travels, page 134. 

2 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1867, page 462. 

79 



Horti- they were mostly dead. Ever since then 
and ' pears have been very uncertain, though 
Forestry certain seasons have afforded some of the 
richest crops. About 1835 tne peach be- 
gan to be diseased and soon acquired the 
same character of uncertainty. Cherries, 
too, in some sections of the state have de- 
teriorated to a marked degree. The fac- 
tors, which have most prominently affected 
our fruit trees and caused this deterioration, 
have been the fungous diseases and numer- 
ous insects. It may be that more careful 
attention to our orchards in the way of 
spraying, etc., will restore vigor to the 
trees so that we may hope to see some day 
the fruit of our boyhood days. In 1796 
Israel Putnam returned 2 to New England 
partly for the purpose of getting scions of 
the choicest apples. He obtained quite a 
quantity — a one-horse wagon load — and 
sent them to his home on the Muskingum, 
six miles above Marietta. He sent to Ohio 
forty varieties 2 ; and distributed a portion 
of the scions to the settlers who had trees 
to ingraft. He then in connection with his 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1867, page 462. 

2 Ohio Cultivator. 

80 



brother, Aaron W. Putnam, who lived in Horti- 
Belpre, opposite Blennerhasset's Island, and 
commenced immediately the nursery busi- Forestry 
ness. The first trees planted by the Mar- 
ietta settlers were in 1796, yielding some 
apples, and from these they obtained suffi- 
cient seed for a small beginning. These 
were the only two men who carried on the 
nursery business or cultivated trees for sale 
till about the year 1817. 

The Western Reserve had been settled 
by the New Englanders also, and good 
fruit received their earliest attention. Some 
of their early orchards were very good, 
others were indifferent ; this was because 
they were established from seedlings, for it 
was too difficult to bring cumbrous freight. 
As their seedlings grew up and opportunity 
offered, a very large majority of the trees 
bearing independent fruit were grafted. 
Whenever any of these settlers returned to 
the East either on a visit or on business, 
they always returned with young trees or 
scions of the most popular varieties ; these, 
as their trees grew, supplied many others 
with grafts, and much was obtained in this 
way before any nurseries were established. 

81 



Horti- A large number of the fruit trees were also 
and obtained from Virginia and Western Penn- 
Forestry sylvania by settlers who went there for 
their necessary supplies. In the northern 
part of the state, among the individuals 
who were prominent in introducing fruits 
was Mr. Dille, who at an early date grafted 
his orchard with fine varieties, from whence 
many obtained grafts. Judge Fuller, com- 
ing from New York at an early date, 
brought many varieties from that region 
which were disseminated over a large ter- 
ritory. George Hoadly was also promi- 
nent in this matter and was, perhaps, the 
first to introduce the pear to any extent. 
" He was one of those intelligent amateurs 
in horticulture and pomology, whose pride 
was to excel, and whose fine taste was of 
the highest adornment." About the year 
1810 Dr. Jared Kirtland came from Con- 
necticut and settled in Mahoning county 
with his family, and to this family the state 
is indebted, and perhaps more than to any 
other, for the advance in horticulture. 

In 1824, Professor J. P. Kirtland, in con- 
nection with his brother, established a 
nursery at Poland, then Trumbull county, 
82 



and brought on from New England above Horti- 
a hundred of their best varieties of apples, C ^ n ^ re 
cherries, peaches, pears, etc., and in a Forestry 
year or two following, brought from New 
Jersey above a hundred of the best varieties 
of that state. Others were obtained from 
New York, making the Kirtland nursery 
from the first very extensive and valuable. 
Dr. Kirtland devoted a great deal of his 
time to the improvement of the cherry ; by 
his system of hybridation and the judgment 
and skill with which he managed it, he pro- 
duced over thirty varieties of cherries, 1 
which stand prominent for their excellence. 
Credit is due his brother for producing the 
Kirtland pear. Another man who was very 
active in trying and experimenting in horti- 
culture in the early history of the state was 
Mr. Andrew H. Ernst, near Cincinnati, 
who during his career introduced into his 
grounds nearly six hundred varieties of 
apples, and about seven hundred of pears. 
The object was to test by experience the 
most valuable sorts of the diversified soil 
and climate of the Western country. 

Another character prominent in the hor- 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1867, page 464. 
83 



Horti- ticultural affairs of the state was Nicholas 
and Longworth, of Cincinnati, who died in 
Forestry 1 863. For fifty years he was closely iden- 
tified with the growing of flowers, straw- 
berries, and grapes. He was well known 
in both the United States and Europe, and 
as an amateur cultivator he expended thou- 
sands of dollars in horticulture and floricul- 
ture. He owned large tracts of land in the 
lower parts of Cincinnati, and as early as 
1820 he established nurseries there and 
planted and disseminated "every variety 
of fine fruits that could be obtained in the 
United States, East or West, making occa- 
sional importations from Europe of such 
varieties as were thought to be adapted to 
our Western climate." 

The first vineyards of the state were 
planted by Longworth in 1822, with the 
Cape or Schuylkill grape. Some years be- 
fore a French settler, Menensier, attempted 
to grow grapes in the city of Cincinnati, 
but he had little success. His efforts, how- 
ever, attracted Longworth's attention, and, 
together with the fact that the Germans very 
naturally desired to cultivate, to which they 
had been accustomed in Europe, led him 
84 



to undertake the improvement of the grape. Horti- 
Great numbers of foreign grapes had been and 
imported and tested, but were universally Forestry 
unfortunate, and for a time it was thought 
vine culture would result in utter failure 
and disappointment. But just at this time, 
about 1820-22, the keen and thoughtful 
observation of this determined vine-planter 
noticed an account of a native vine, a prom- 
ising wine grape, in the possession of Major 
Adlum 1 , of Georgetown, D. C. The Ca- 
tawba was at once sent for and procured, 
and is now the great wine grape of the 
country, being now cultivated in every state 
of the Union. The remainder of his life 
was spent in developing this grape. Until 
the last year of his life he was untiring in 
his efforts to procure and test all varieties 
of native grapes in his gardens and vine- 
yards. Mr. Long worth bears the same 
relation to vineyard culture as Fulton did 
to steam navigation. Others made earlier 
efforts, but he was the first to establish it on 
a permanent basis. It is, therefore, with 
justice that he has been distinguished as the 
father of successful wine farming in the 

2 History of Cincinnati. 

85 



Horti- West. His experiments at first with foreign 
a?id grapes were numerous and costly, and after 
Forestry years of trial, they all had to be abandoned 
as unsuited to our climate, and the best 
native varieties substituted. He spared no 
efforts and expense to find out the best 
native varieties, for at the best even our 
hardiest native vines are subject, like all 
other fruits, to diseases, and cannot be 
relied on to produce uniformly good crops. 
Mr. Longworth had at one time over one 
hundred varieties growing in his vineyard 
for experimental purposes alone. But with 
all the grapes the Catawba was his greatest 
success, and as long as it continues to 
spread its leaves, to stretch its tendrils and 
bear its precious fruit, his name will be re- 
membered, indelibly stamped upon every 
vine-clad hill. 

The culture of the strawberry owes its 
remarkable success and extent in this state 
to the determined and persevering efforts of 
Mr. Longworth. A market gardener had 
long known the value of planting the pistil- 
late and the staminate plants, as fertilizers of 
the fruit, but had kept it a secret because he 
feared if it became known his profit would 
86 



be lessened. One of the sons of this man ^ tf - 
one day visited Mr. Long worth's gardens, and 
and in looking over the strawberry beds Forestry 
pointed out the sexual difference in the 
plants, from which Mr. Longworth took 
the hint. He immediately tried the experi- 
ment and found it successful. He at once 
published it to the world for the benefit of 
all cultivators. 1 " From that time on Cin- 
cinnati became famous for her strawberry 
market, and the prices of this fruit were so 
reduced as to bring it into abundant use 
with all classes." No sooner had Long- 
worth unlocked the key to successful straw- 
berry growing than the shafts of ridicule 
were directed to him. Editors, botanists, 
and horticulturists were against him, and 
the most serious attacks were made by them 
in opposition to his theory ; but the stern 
facts of nature, which were open before his 
eyes, though overlooked by them, were 
brought forward as clinching arguments, 
and enabled him to sustain his position and 
carry his points with the jury of a discrimi- 
nating public, until now all are upon his side 
of the question, and no one will admit he ever 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1867, page 466. 
87 



Horti- entertained any other views. But many a 

(~ 7/ if 7/ fP 

and hard battle was fought and many a conten- 
Forest?-y tion he had with "wise savants, Eastern 
nurserymen, and learned English garden- 
ers, before his new theory was admitted to 
be true ; and almost as much ink was shed 
in this strawberry war as in some of the 
wars of the Western borders." 

The most important varieties of strawber- 
ries that he produced were the Superior, 
Prolific, and Extra Red. Had he produced 
no others his labors in this department were 
well rewarded. 

The Ohio ever-bearing raspberry, from 
the Shaker village of Watervliet, was 
brought first into notice in other parts of 
the state by Mr. Long worth, and by him 
widely disseminated throughout the coun- 
try. 

FORESTS. 

The forests in Ohio in their original dis- 
tribution extended almost compact and un- 
broken throughout the length and breadth 
of the state, with the exception of a few 
marshes in the western and northeastern 
parts, but at the present time the encroach- 
ment of field and pasture has destroyed the 
88 



greater part of the forest areas. Nature has Horti- 
been as lavish in her variety of forms of ^ 
forest growth as of the smaller native fruits. Forestry 
Among the most prominent of the former 
have been the oak, elm, ash, beech, maple, 
hickory, chestnut, butternut, black walnut, 
wild cherry, sycamore, tulip-tree, basswood, 
locust, sweet gum, poplar, willow, mul- 
berry, cucumber, boxelder, buckeye, Cot- 
tonwood, dogwood, etc., and of the latter 
were the cranberry, which grew in the 
marshes, blackberry, paw paw, raspberry, 
plum, persimmon, wild grapes, wild straw- 
berries, etc. The early settlers often de- 
pended upon the forest fruits, as chestnuts, 
acorns, beechnuts, etc., for the food for 
fattening their hogs. 

The forests of Ohio have been very rap- 
idly removed, to a greater extent than 
should have been permitted, and to-day we 
find ourselves affected with forest hunger. 
The time is close at hand when legislation 
will be necessary for the protection and the 
promotion of forest growth in the state. 

89 



CHAPTER VII 

THE HORSE STOCK OF OHIO 

It is a matter of great difficulty to trace 
the horse stock in Ohio. Good horses 
were introduced into different portions of 
the state at a very early day, but most of 
the stock produced in Ohio previous to the 
introduction of railways, that gave any 
indications of superiority, was at once 
transferred from the East. The first horses 
in the state were brought by the Marietta 
settlers, but the introduction proper began 
about 1807, and came chiefly from Pennsyl- 
vania. This immigration of horses reached 
a very high tide between 1820 and 1830, 
and they were distributed principally 
through Columbiana, Stark, Wayne, Rich- 
land, Huron, Harrison, and Jefferson coun- 
ties, 1 and from them spread throughout the 
state. The original horse was of large size, 
heavy and slow gait, perhaps of Flemish 
origin, and of the breed known then as Con- 
estoga. The Dunkards and Memoirists lived 
in these counties, — two religious sects, whose 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1857, page 350. 
90 



members were invariably agriculturists, and The 
whose excellent stock and neat farms were stock f 
know as in proverb, — being interested in Ohio 
improving stock, introduced the best of 
this early stock of horses. In 1828 some 
of the French settled in Stark county, 
bringing with them excellent crosses of 
the French horses. There were in the 
same county about the same time some 
native crosses, and these bred with the 
French draft horses produced a strain of 
excellent farm horses. 

New England people came in greatest 
numbers to Ohio from about 1815 to 1820, 
while the Pennsylvania and Virginia peo- 
ple came to central and southern Ohio at 
an earlier date, fixing in a degree the type 
of horses of the brawny Flemish blood of 
the Dutch farms of Pennsylvania, while 
the lighter and better breeds came with the 
Virginians. This early stock composed 
the native stock of Ohio. As Ohio was 
the earliest settled of the Northwest terri- 
tory the original type of the horses of 
Ohio was diffused over the great West. 

One writer says: "It was a notorious 
fact that most of the earlier settlers had no 

91 



The j us t appreciation of the superiority of a 

Stock of well-bred horse over any animal called by 

Ohio that name, even though as ungainly as a 

kangaroo, and bred downwards until they 

had as little heart and loin as a newly 

dropped merino lamb." 

Of the blood stock first brought to the 
Scioto valley region were several mares 
introduced from the south branch of the 
Potomac, Virginia, by John I. Van Meter, 
and later the stallion " Spread Eagle " from 
the same region. The stock of this stal- 
lion seems to have been most diffused and 
esteemed of any single horse's ever brought 
to southern Ohio. He was afterwards 
owned by Felix Renick of Chillicothe, and 
after further service in Ohio was taken 
back to Virginia, on account of the popu- 
larity of his stock in that region. Virginia 
also furnished a stock of horses which were 
esteemed especially for their value as sad- 
dle horses. There was also another horse 
in Franklin county of saddle type that was 
very popular for years, known as "Pun- 
ter," of a bayish body, muscular and low, 
and similar to the Morgan breed in build 
and action. They were excellent in short 
92 



races, but were too light in bone. These The 
strains of horses were the principal ones in stock f 
fixing the type in the Scioto valley. In Ohio 
the eastern part of the state was introduced 
another class that had much to do with fix- 
ing the style of the early Ohio horses. In 
the vicinity of Steubenville and eastern 
Ohio a large French draft horse, called 
" Salisbury," was bred to the heavy Flem- 
ish and Conestoga mares of the teamsters 
and wagoners of this region, who carried 
on the conveying and transfer business into 
Ohio from the Eastern cities. This stallion 
was well known in this section, and his 
diffusion was spread far and wide. Other 
stallions in this same district, but of less 
importance than the above, were " Shy- 
lock," a stallion of fair size, but popular as 
a roadster; and "Pirate," an animal smaller 
and belonging to the running strain. 

An early writer in the Ohio Cultivator 
says : " There were classes of horses which 
were diffused all over eastern Ohio and 
western Virginia whose popularity is still 
known. They are the ' Tuckahoe,' the 
* Heatogo,' and the * Timelion.' These 
are well kept, lively, serviceable horses. 

93 



The Most of the good mares in eastern Ohio 

J-Jovsc 

Stock of are based upon « Consul ' blood ; the * Eli- 

Ohio pose ' stock is considerably interwoven, 

and the kindred of ' Sir Archy ' and 

« Duroc' " 

The first blooded stock appeared about 
1825, when a few good stallions were 
brought into the state ; but we have no 
authentic date of any good brood mares 
having been introduced. 

Northern Ohio was even worse off in the 
way of horses than the eastern and south- 
ern sections of the state. The immigrants 
were from the Northeastern states, and had 
brought quite a miscellaneous assortment 
of horses. Harris says, 1 " There was more 
ill-breeding done in this section than in any 
other part of the state. They seemed to be, 
in too many cases, scrub breeding from run- 
out English and Flemish mares, showing a 
great number of narrow-chested, leggy, 
pale dun, and sorrel animals, without con- 
stitution, or action. Many of the first set- 
tlers in all the sections of the state brought 
good teams with them, but for want of suit- 
able stallions the race was not kept up." 

1 The Horse of America, Vol. II, page 76. 
94 



Such was the condition of the horse stock The 
in Ohio as late as 1835. But a few stal- stock of 
lions had been brought into the state and Ohio 
no mares, and the grade of this stock dete- 
riorated into the lowest order of scrubs. 
Between 1835 an d 1840 a livelier interest 
appeared in the horse-raising of the state. 
Improvement had been begun. Though 
brood mares were of an inferior quality, yet 
suitable stallions were what were needed. A 
few race courses were in use in 1826, but up 
to 1838 the number increased considerably. 
This feature had its influence in bettering 
the condition of the horses of that period. 
The trouble was, continual cross-breeding 
had so deteriorated the horse stock in a few 
years, that 1835 found a fairly large number 
of horses, but of a more inferior quality 
than twenty years before. Not until about 
1847 did conditions become better. Impor- 
tations all along had been slow. As early 
as 1836 a Morgan horse was introduced 
into Lake county by Dr. Miles. This stal- 
lion was but a fair representative of the 
breed ; and through numerous crosses the 
farmers were disgusted with the inferior 
stock and favored larger animals than the 

95 



The Morgans. This was not the fault of the 
Stock of Dree d, however, but of this particular ani- 
Ohio mal. 

In 1840 there was a change. A few 
years before a tide of prosperity had struck 
all classes alike. Emigration was to the 
West, and in the excitement of the times 
farm stock took a rise with the rest. Im- 
portations now began, and were continued 
uninterruptedly, but it was several years 
before the grade of Ohio horses had im- 
proved. 

The style of stock-raising in Ohio now 
fast assumed a new and fixed character in 
favor of utilitarian availability. And it was 
especially true in regard to horses. In the 
earlier days, as we have learned, the heavy 
stock from Pennsylvania was esteemed the 
perfection of horse flesh. Upon this were 
engrafted some of the tapering styles of the 
English blood, and the Eclipse stock be- 
came also quite common as well as the 
other strains heretofore mentioned. As a 
natural consequence we soon had a breed 
of tender, imperfect animals, that turned 
out a race in every part of the state of crip- 
ples, in which ringbone, spavin, heaves, 
96 



founder, and blindness became the common The 
characteristics. sZkof 

In 1832 " Bellfounder," from the famous Ohio 
English horse of the same name, was foaled 
in New York city, on Long Island, and 
raised by T. K. Kissam, and was sent to 
Ohio by T. F. Allen, who stood him at 
Cleveland for some time, after which he 
appeared in different parts of the state. 
From him were secured a very large num- 
ber of very fine colts, whose popularity and 
value were immensely great in developing 
early horse-raising in Ohio. They were 
highly esteemed as light carriage horses. 
They possessed a large share of speed and 
endurance, of good fair size and propor- 
tions, and if well bred were easily kept in 
good condition. The prevailing color was 
dark bay, with black mane and tail. The 
effect of this horse was great, and was seen 
for many years after. 

The year 1847 was an important epoch 
in the horse affairs of the state because of 
the introduction of the Morgan animal from 
Vermont. The original Morgan horse from 
Vermont was foaled in Springfield, Mass., 
in 1793. He was got by True Button, 

97 



The whose father, Wildair, was of such distin- 

Stock of guished excellence he was re-exported to 
Ohio England for the benefit of his stock. The 
Morgan horse stood in Vermont from 1792 
until his death. From him and the choice 
mares of Vermont descended many excel- 
lent colts. The result has been the pro- 
duction of a family of roadsters of much 
similarity of appearance and uniformity of 
character, unsurpassed by any others for 
serviceable qualities. About 1847, when 
the farmers began to bestow increased at- 
tention on the improvement of their breeds, 
many became interested in the Morgan 
breed, which became quite famous and no- 
torious throughout the state. The first 1 of 
this breed in the borders of the state was 
brought by the Messrs. Wm. J. & H. D. 
Ladd into Jefferson county. A short time 
after A. E. Austin, of Trumbull county, 
introduced another. In 1849 an associa- 
tion of farmers in Erie county introduced 
the Morgan " Messenger," 2 the third Mor- 
gan horse in the state. Further introduc- 
tion was now rapidly spread throughout 

1 Ohio Cultivator, Vol. V, page 133; The Horse of America, 
Vol. II, page 

2 Ohio Cultivator, Vol. VI, page 54. 

98 



the northern and central sections of the The 
state. The chief fault to be found with the stock * 
animal was the size ; however, he was suf- Ohio 
ficiently large for roadsters and general 
usefulness in the state. 

The early Morgan horse 1 was esteemed 
for activity, gentleness, hardiness, and do- 
cility ; well adapted for all work ; good in 
every spot, except for races on the turf. 
They were lively and spirited in their ac- 
tion, carrying themselves gracefully in the 
harness. They had size in proportion to 
height; bone clean, sinewy legs, compact- 
ness, short, strong backs, powerful lungs, 
strength and endurance. They were known 
by their short, lean heads, wide across the 
face at the eyes ; eyes lively and promi- 
nent ; open and wide under the jaws ; large 
windpipe, deep brisket; heavy round in 
the body, broad in the back, short limbs in 
proportion to size, broad quarters, a lively, 
quick action, indomitable spirit, move true 
and easy in a good round trot, and fast 
on the walk. Color, dark bay, chestnut, 
brown, or black, with dark, flowing, wav- 
ing mane and tail ; head up ; moving with- 

1 The Albany Cultivator, 1848. 
99 



The out a whip ; about fifteen hands high ; ac- 

Stockof ^ on P ower ^ u l an d spirited. They were 

Ohio highly celebrated for general usefulness, 

made the best of roadsters, and lived to a 

great age. In fact they were termed the 

perfect " Yankee harness horse." 

The first importation 1 of Norman horses 
to Ohio was in 185 1, when Dr. Brown, of 
Circleville, who was on a visit to the 
World's Fair, brought home with him a 
two-year old stallion named " Normandy," 
better known as " Old Bill," or the Val- 
ley Horse. 2 Dr. Brown was impressed 
with the great power and moderate speed 
which this class of horses possessed, hav- 
ing an average weight of fifteen hundred 
pounds, and standing fourteen to sixteen 
hands high. The stock of this stallion was 
very uniform in character, of good size, 
hardy, and free from hereditary defects. 
Another important importation that had a 
direct and emphatic influence upon breed- 
ers, was that when the gray colt ' ' Louis Na- 
poleon " was imported, in 185 1, by Messrs. 
Fullington and Martin, of Milford. The 

1 Ohio Cultivator, Vol. VIII, page 98. 

2 The Perch eron Horse, page 20. 

IOO 



tedious voyage had the effect of making The 
the colt look rough and sullen, and the stock f 
popular verdict was against him. The Ohio 
first year Fullington bred seven of his 
mares to him, and as the foals developed 
" the fame of the horse began to come up 
and he rose in favor and value year by 
year." His weight was near sixteen hun- 
dred, and he stood fifteen and one half 
hands high. In 1856 he was taken by 
A. P. Cushman to Illinois, whose coming 
to that state was the beginning of an impor- 
tant industry. The editor of the " Per- 
cheron Stud Book " says of him : " It has 
been estimated that over four hundred of his 
get were successful stallions. He was un- 
doubtedly the best known and most popu- 
lar French horse ever brought to Amer- 
ica." He died at Normal, 111., in 187 1. 
The loss of this horse to the state was soon 
felt, for this class of horses seemed to sat- 
isfy the farmers better than any other, and 
the great popularity of the stock induced 1 
Messrs. Groton and Martin to attempt the 
importation of another stallion. They suc- 
ceeded in getting the bay stallion, "Rollin," 

1 Ohio Cultivator, Vol. VIII, page 98. 
101 



The of fine style, from the family of the French 
Stock of cava l r V horses. In February, 1854, he 
Ohio arrived at Woodstock. He was a mahog- 
any bay, sixteen and one half hands high, 
a beauty for strength and style in his line 
of blood. 

These three horses were the means of 
producing an improved breed of horses, 
especially useful for the plow and other 
farm purposes. The next important impor- 
tation of horse stock from Europe was that 
of the Darby Plains Importing Company, 1 
of Union county, where they brought in 
1857 " Defiance," an English draught stal- 
lion ; " Eber," a Cleveland bay stallion; 
" Lady Sykes," a thoroughbred mare; 
"Niger," Clydesdale stallion; "Young 
Sir Tatton," thoroughbred stallion; "Hi- 
ram," a Cleveland bay stallion; two Nor- 
man stallions and a Norman mare with foal 
by a superior Norman stallion. This im- 
portation brought to the state the first Cleve- 
land bay, Clydesdale, and English draft 
horses. They were not long in gaining 
friends, and soon were in great demand for 
breeding purposes. At the close of the 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1857, page 358. 
102 



year 1857, Morgans, French draft, Per- The 
cheron, and Bellfounder breeds had fully stock f 
established themselves, and were practi- Ohio 
cally the only strains in service. 

The Darby Plains Importing Company's 
importation had material effect after this 
time on the development of the horse stock 
of the state. Further importations of 
Clydesdales, Percherons, Cleveland bays, 
and French draft horses followed in con- 
stant succession to that of the Darby Plains 
Importing Company in 1857, so that in a 
few years the service of pure-bred sires 
was possible in nearly every township of 
the state. The popularity that the state 
and county fairs received after i860, di- 
rected attention to the importing and breed- 
ing of running and trotting breeds. While 
at an early date there had been introduced 
into the state animals of this type and 
much interest centered in the race-courses 
as early as 1825, yet the moral side of rais- 
ing animals of this class was questioned, 
and even modified by the legislature of the 
state, so that interest in raising the " blood 
stock " subsided and the stock itself depre- 
ciated. Within the last three or four de- 

103 



The cades, however, popular favor has turned 
Stock of m f avor of si sporting breeds," and interest 
Ohio has again become prominent in the produc- 
tion of these classes of horses. 

In the decline of live stock during the past 
decade, horses have depreciated to the min- 
imum in value. Many of the best brood 
mares have been sold for export, and only 
a few colts are raised each year, so that 
to-day on thousands of farms in Ohio there 
is an inferior grade of horses. We have 
not kept on advancing. Our horse stock 
is not what it should be. We err when we 
stop the breeding of horses. The future 
is going to demand them good and well 
bred : bred along some special line to pro- 
duce a special purpose horse that shall be 
typical of his class. The future outlook 
for such animals is bright. Let Ohio farm- 
ers interpret the situation and profit thereby. 
104 



CHAPTER VIII 

CATTLE DEVELOPMENT IN OHIO 

England can rightly claim the honor of 
improving and developing the cattle of the 
world. The work of Bakewell and Coll- 
ings and Knight and Bates will never be 
forgotten. Accounts of their successes 
with cattle improvement were not long in 
reaching America, and as early as 1783 we 
find importations being made from England 
into Virginia and Kentucky of the " Short- 
horn " or milk-breed cattle by a Mr. Patton, 
and who followed with a second importa- 
tion in 1817. Some of this milk breed were 
introduced into Kentucky about 1803. A di- 
rect importation from England to Kentucky 
was made in 181 7, with the comment that 
" the cattle were the best of the kind to be 
had in England." 

Ever since Ohio was organized as a state 
the Miami and Scioto valleys have been 
regarded as the stock region of the state. 
As far back as 1808 cattle were supplied 
for the Eastern markets from this section, 
and there is no doubt that some of the de- 

105 



Cattle scendants of the Virginia importation of 
tnent in I ^3 f° un d their way into the Scioto valley, 
Ohio while it is also probable that some of the 
best cattle in southern Ohio owed paternity 
to Kentucky and were descendants of the 
bulls 1 Phito and Shaker, which were im- 
ported into Kentucky in 1803. 

The first importation made into Ohio 
from England direct, was made in 1834 
under the auspices of the Ohio Breeding 
and Importing Company. On November 2, 
1833, Governor Trimble, George Renick, 
General Duncan Mc Arthur, and others, 
for the purpose of promoting the interests of 
agriculture and of introducing an improved 
breed of cattle, formed a company and con- 
tributed the amount necessary to import 
from England some of the best improved 
cattle of that country. The sum of $9,200 
was very soon subscribed in ninety-two 
shares of $100 each, and after making the 
necessary preliminary inquiries and ar- 
rangements, the company appointed Mr. 
Felix Renick of Ross county, Ohio, their 
agent for the purchase and importation. 

i Farmer's Guide, page 92. Fanner's Chronicle, vol. I, page 89. 
Ohio Agricultural Report, 1867, page 301. 
I06 



Nineteen bulls and cows of the pure-bred Cattle 
Shorthorn and Durham stock were pur- ment f n 
chased from some of the most celebrated Ohio 
and successful breeders of England. These 
were brought to Ohio, and kept together, 
under the care of an agent, and they in- 
creased in number by additional importa- 
tions from England, when the whole was 
sold in October, 1836. After paying all ex- 
penses a dividend of $280 per share was 
divided on the ninety-two shares of the 
stock company, amounting to $25,760. 

This was really the beginning of the cat- 
tle business in Ohio. The greatest benefits 
resulted to the country by the introduction 
of this improved English Durham stock 
into the state of Ohio by that company. 
The immediate effect of this importation 
was to arouse an interest in improved cattle 
breeding. It made it possible to have an 
improved breed of cattle throughout the 
state as a result of crossing the English 
stock with the common stock existing at 
that time ; and a very fine, large, and thrifty 
race of cattle in many parts was bred by 
this laudable enterprise. We must not for- 
get, however, that the Marietta settlers 

107 



Cattle brought with them from New England 
ment in some excellent stock. This furnished the 
Ohio bulk of the cattle until 1807, when Mr. D. 
Wilder introduced into Warren county some 
of the Patton strain of Longhorn and Short- 
horn cattle, which crossed with the natives 
gave a cross noted for their remarkable en- 
durance. 

Among the early pioneers in the Scioto 
valley were some Virginians who brought 
with them some cattle for feeding purposes. 1 
These people introduced into Ohio the 
method of securing corn and stover to- 
gether by cutting the stalks near the ground 
and shocking it in the field, as is the method 
in the present day. By this means the peo- 
ple were able to feed a large number of 
cattle. The only market was the East, and 
it was thought impossible to fatten cattle 
and drive all the way to the Eastern mar- 
kets, on account of the distance and moun- 
tains. But in 1805 the trial was made, when 
George Renick of Chillicothe fed and drove 
a lot of cattle to Baltimore, the first that 
ever crossed the Alleghany mountains. 

lOhio Agricultural Report, 1869, page 434. Ohio Cultivator , 
vol. V, page 133. 

108 



The cattle arrived in good condition, and Cattle 
from that day the cattle industry increased, wntin 
but did not, however, reach any great Ohio 
marked success until after improved blood 
had been given through the effects of the 
various importing companies ; for to these 
companies the improvements to the cattle 
stock were in a great degree attributable, for 
not only had the cross of the cattle then 
imported with the former stock produced 
a breed far superior to the latter, in all 
essential qualities, such as size, form, neat- 
ness, early maturity, and aptitude to fatten, 
but made the raising and feeding more 
profitable and created a spirit of improve- 
ment among the people that soon made 
itself felt throughout the country. 

The first four improved breeds of cattle 
introduced into the state were the Short- 
horns, the Herefords, Devons, and Ayr- 
shires. It should be kept in mind that 
almost contemporaneously with the admis- 
sion into the Union, Ohio was known as a 
cattle raising state, but it should be remem- 
bered that during the first quarter of a cen- 
tury of the state's existence, very little else 
than *' natives" were reared or grazed. 

109 



Cattle While it is true that a few of the'" Patton 
mentUi stoc ^ " were introduced into the Scioto 
Ohio valley at an early day, yet they never 
spread over a very large territory, and lit- 
tle affected the general conditions of the 
stock. 

At the time of the Ohio company's im- 
portation, the cattle trade of the state was 
included in four distinct sections of native 
breeds, where no effort had been made at 
improvement, and assimilated or possessed 
characteristic qualities peculiar to itself and 
entirely dissimilar from the other sections. 
From a history of the early cattle trade in 
Ohio J by William Renick, an extensive 
cattle raiser and feeder, we find some data 
as to the native stock. Renick purchased 
his cattle in a territory extending from the 
fortieth degree north latitude in Ohio south- 
wardly to Green river in Kentucky, and 
was acquainted with all the cattle districts. 
From his report we find a description of the 
cattle of the Hocking or Hill district, which 
extended from the eastern margin of the 
Scioto valley indefinitely eastward. These 
cattle were healthy, hardy, and compact, 

1 The Farmer's Chronicle, 1S68, page 230. 

no 



but too small and without room for improve- Cattle 
ment for profit to be dealt in by the regular f ^ t %' 
feeder. Ohio 

The Adams and Highland county cattle 
with the adjacent territories of surrounding 
counties, were known by the general name 
of Brush creek cattle, and were a little 
larger than the Hocking, also healthy, 
hardy, and early fattened, and their gen- 
eral good qualities almost made up for their 
inferior size. 

In Fayette and Madison counties, and in 
a part of Clarke and Champaign counties, 
was found the stock that was known by the 
general name of Barren cattle. These 
were much larger than the Brush creek, 
but their general qualities were not nearly 
so good. They were loose made, harder 
to fatten, and very much subject to disease. 
Their better size over the other breeds was 
their only recommendation. The last cattle 
district is the Scioto valley counties, where 
there was such a mixture and commingling 
of all sorts, from the common scrubs to the 
full-blood Patton, as to render them utterly 
indescribable. Such was the stock in ex- 
istence in Ohio in 1834, when the Short- 

iii 



Cattle horns from England were introduced. The 
ment in stock brought into the state by this impor- 
Ohio tation was of the very best that England had. 
The Ohio company had greatly the advan- 
tage over all subsequent companies in more 
than one respect, the principal of which 
was, at that time, the beginning of the 
American demand for Shorthorns. The 
agents had the choice of very nearly all the 
cattle to be found, and the best English 
breeders seemed desirous to encourage the 
thing — as they naturally would for their 
own prospective interest — and one of them 
at least declared 1 he would not sell to an 
Englishman the cattle he sold to the agents. 
We learn from this importation that the 
showiest bulls brought the best price when 
sold, but some lacked pedigrees and in the 
end were not nearly so good as some less 
valued with good pedigrees, and which 
transmitted their good qualities to their get. 
Devon cattle had many enthusiastic 
friends in other states before their introduc- 
tion into Ohio. But a short time after the 
improved Shorthorns had been brought 
into the state, an occasional Devon found 

1 Farmer's Chronicle, 1S6S, page 214. 
112 



its way in. The first pure-bred Devon Cattle 
cattle that we have any record of being J^ t °^ 
brought into the state was in 1842, when Ohio 
John (Ossawatomie) Brown imported from 
England some pure-bred Devonshire cattle. 1 

A few years late C. A. Ely, Esq., of 
Elyria, purchased seven Devon cows, eight 
calves and a bull of C. H. Crippen of Mich- 
igan. All of these were pure-bred, and 
the bull, " Duke of Devon," an imported 
animal from England. Other prominent 
breeders of this breed were E. Matchem of 
Pittsfield and H. C. Safford of Oberlin. 
Devons were imported and bred in Ohio in 
much greater numbers some years ago than 
they have been of late years. 

The first direct importation 2 of Herefords 
to the state was about i852-'53, by Messrs. 
Thomas Aston and John Humphreys, two 
English farmers in Elyria, where they im- 
ported for breeding purposes two Hereford 
bulls and two heifers, of very fine stock. 
In 1853 Mr. D. B. Kinney, of Oberlin, pur- 
chased a fine Hereford bull, 3 four years 
old, that was imported from the best stock 

1 Allen's American Cattle, page 73. 

2 Allen's American Cattle, page 73. 

3 Ohio Cultivator, vol. IX, page 215. 

113 



Cattle in England. Several herds were soon 
ment hi established in Lorain county, and were bred 
Ohio well and successfully there, but for some 
reason at first they did not become exten- 
sively popular in Ohio, especially, south of 
the Western Reserve, where the Shorthorns 
held the field against all rivals. 

Ayrshire cattle came into the state about 
1848, and soon established themselves in 
the state by their superiority as milkers. 
The Scioto valley had early imported the 
Shorthorns for beef, but the dairy stock 
long remained undeveloped, until the intro- 
duction of this breed into the Western Re- 
serve b}- E. A. Brown of North Bloomfield, 
Trumbull county, who purchased a prem- 
ium bull and cow of the Ayrshire breed at 
the Buffalo fair in 1848, and Messrs. Will- 
iam H. Ladd and J. R. Cunningham of 
Richmond, Jefferson county, the following 
year brought into the state from the herd 
of E. P. Prentiss, Albany, N. Y., a bull, 
cow, and heifer of the breed. These ani- 
mals were of the best Ayrshires of the 
country. The bull " Dandy" held the first 
premium of the New York state fair, and 
though not a large animal was one of the 
114 



best and most excellent of the Ayrshire Cattle 
breed. He was bred by Mr. Young at Jj^tffa 
Killmann Nains, Scotland, imported by Ohio 
Samuel Wood of Lenox, Massachusetts, 
and brought to this state by the Messrs. 
Ladd and Cunningham. The Ayrshire 
cattle were slow to establish their good 
reputation in Ohio. 

Since 1870 several noted breeds of cattle 
have become firmly established in the state. 
Dairymen had not been entirely satisfied 
with their cows as butter and milk pro- 
ducers. The fame of the Jersey and 
Guernsey breeds reached the progressive 
farmers and in but a short time after the 
first importations in America by Messrs. 
Tainbow, Norton, and Buck, the Jersey 
and Guernsey breeds found their way into 
the state in rapid numbers since 1875. The 
first pure bred Jerseys in the state were im- 
ported in 1865 by A. D. Bullock of Cincin- 
nati. The same year several cows were 
imported direct from the island of Jersey 
by John F. Stettinius, also of Cincinnati. 
About the same time Joseph Langsworth 
and William P. Anderson of Cincinnati 
both imported and brought animals from 

115 



Cattle other importations into that section. From 
mentbi ^ s as P arent stock the Jersey breed was 
Ohio gradually extended in other parts of the 
state. Numerous herds of fine imported 
stock have been established almost con- 
stantly since then, and to-day the Jersey or 
Guernsey cattle are found in large numbers 
in every county of the state. 

Between 1875 an d 1880 the craze for 
dehorning and the organization and impor- 
tation of the polled breeds began. The 
first importation of the Aberdeen-Angus 
was by Mr. D. N. Hine of Erie county, 
who went to Scotland and personally se- 
lected a number of the finest stock. He 
was followed by Renton Garringer who in 
1882 established a herd in Fayette county. 
Soon after came the direct importation of 
nearly one hundred head by C. R. Dye of 
Miami county. In rapid succession to these 
came the herds of Mr. G. W. Perry in 
Champaign county, and Bradfute & Son 
in Greene county. To-day there are over 
fifty persons in this state recording pure 
blood Angus to the American Aberdeen- 
Angus Association. Perhaps the most 
prominent herds of this breed in this state 
116 



to-day are the Meadow Brook and Nickel Cattle 
Plate herds owned respectively by Bradfute 1} ™nt in 
& Son of Cedarville, and J. P. Hine of Ohio 
Shamrock. From these several herds have 
emanated a large number of smaller herds 
now located in more than half the counties 
of the state. About the year 1881 William 
W. Crane of Miami county conceived the 
idea of producing a hornless breed of Short- 
horn cattle. His plan was to begin with 
the common native muley cow and cross 
with a pure blood Shorthorn bull, reserving 
the muley calves, and again using a Short- 
horn bull of pure blood, continuing the pro- , 
cess for several generations when it was 
believed that " there would be a fixed type 
of muley cattle to all intents and purposes, 
practically pure blood Shorthorn." The 
plan succeeded. Miami county, the birth- 
place of the Poland China breed of swine, 
again came before the breeding world, and 
showed in a short time a popular breed of 
cattle. 

Another general purpose polled breed of 
cattle that has received its principal atten- 
tion and development by the hands of Ohio 
men, is the Red Polls, a breed of ancient 

117 



Ohio 



Cattle lineage recently imported from England. 

ment in ^^ e foundation herds of this breed are those 
of J. McLain Smith of Dayton, and Capt. 
V. T. Hills of Delaware. These two 
breeders have imported a very large num- 
ber of very choice animals from England, 
and their " continual success in the Ameri- 
can show yards gives strong testimony of 
the high rank which these men have at- 
tained for their favorites." The newest of 
the polled breeds of the state are the Polled 
Jerseys, which also had its origin and de- 
velopment in the Miami valley. Credit for 
founding this new herd belongs to Mr. J. 
R. Orr of Greene county, who " founded 
the herd upon the old Polled Jersey cow 
' Daisy,' " a sport believed to be a pure 
blood Jersey. All the offspring of this 
animal have been muleys, so the type is 
well fixed, and a bull of this breed can now 
be counted on for a large per cent, of muley 
calves from horned Jersey cows. This last 
named is one of the youngest breeds of the 
state, and will undoubtedly fill a long felt 
want. 1 

i History of Polled Breeds abstracted from Seventh Annual Re- 
port Farmers' Institutes of Ohio, page 225. 

Il8 



The first Holstein in Ohio is credited to Cattle 
O. F. Jones of Wooster, Ohio, who in 1866 n ^ t % 
purchased " Zuyder Zee" 4th, a bull bred Ohio 
by Winthrop Chenery. The next was a 
bull purchased by O. B. Gould of Franklin 
Furnace, Scioto county, in 1874. ^ n t ^ ie 
same year John Connor of New York im- 
ported a three-year old cow named " Lucy" 
for Robert Gowdy of Xenia. The boom 
for Holstein importation began in 1872 and 
ended in 1882. Thousands of these cattle 
were brought to America and many were 
brought to Ohio. These animals at that 
time were purchased for from $20 to $100, 
and the cost of importing together with the 
quarantine averaged $85, for those brought 
into Ohio. They readily sold for good 
prices. Heifers, according to quality, for 
$150 to $600, and cows for $150 to $1,200. 
In 1882 even there were one thousand Hol- 
stein cattle in Ohio. Since that time this 
popular breed has so advanced in this state 
that to-day there are over five thousand 
registered cattle owned by more than two 
hundred breeders, besides a large number 
of unregistered pure bred stock. A good 
part of the dairy herds of the state contain 

119 



Cattle one or more pure Holsteins or a grade, and 
ment in P roDa bly one fifth of the dairy cows to-day 
Ohio in Ohio are of this breed. 

The history of the cattle industry in the 
state has been one of continual improve- 
ment and development. The condition of 
Ohio being cosmopolitan, all breeds have 
found foothold and favor ; and some of the 
best and most typical animals have been 
bred by the skilled and painstaking breed- 
ers of Ohio. 

120 



CHAPTER IX 

BREEDS OF SHEEP IN OHIO 

In Ohio the raising of wool and mutton 
has always been a very important branch 
of productive labor. With both sheep and 
swine the so-called native breeds, or those 
introduced by the first settlers of Ohio, were 
better calculated for the conditions attend- 
ing the early periods of our history, where 
the lands were wild and infested with beasts 
of prey, than for existing circumstances. 
In those days fleetness and strength were 
desirable qualities in both. But the directly 
opposite quality, sluggishness, small bone, 
fine head, are now desirable points in their 
present easy circumstances. 

The improved sheep required acclimat- 
ing and use to soil and food. At first in 
some sections sheep were quite popular, 
both for wool and mutton profit, but the 
serious losses occasioned by dogs and wild 
beasts, and the difficulty of effectually pro- 
tecting the flocks against these intolerable 
nuisances, deterred new capital from enter- 
ing the field. It was for this reason that 

121 



Breeds improvement in sheep was slow to take 

of Sheep , c . 

in Ohio P iace in some parts of the state. 

To Seth Adams belongs the honor of im- 
porting 1 the first sheep for breeding pur- 
poses into this state, when he brought a pair 
of Spanish Merinos from France to his flock 
at Zanesville in 1801. In 1807 he moved 
to Dresden, taking with him twenty-five or 
thirty of his flock, the descendants of this 
pair. He continued to breed them for sev- 
eral years, but the newness of the country 
discouraged him and he sold his entire flock 
and moved back to Zanesville. The first 
pair Mr. Adams sold in Ohio was to Judge 
Todd of Kentucky, for $1,500. This im- 
portation of Mr. Adams's was of great benefit 
to Ohio and Kentucky. After moving back 
to Zanesville, Adams again took up the im- 
provement of sheep, this time getting some 
of the Humphreys Spanish Merinos, 2 one of 
the best ever imported into the United 
States. He had a sort of partnership 
agency from General Humphreys for keep- 
ing and selling them ; but they soon became 
scattered for lack of care and appreciation. 

1 The American Merino, page it. Fine Wool Sheep Husbandry, 
page 31. Ohio Agricultural Report, page 460. 

2 History of American Merino Sheep, page 34. 



The Humphreys importation is the most Breeds 
important as well as the first traceable of °f n omq 
the early sheep importations into the United 
States. Colonel Humphreys had been min- 
ister to Spain under President Adams, but 
was recalled by President Jefferson. On 
his return in 1802 to his home in Derby, 
Connecticut, he brought with him twenty- 
one rams and seventy ewes of the finest 
sheep he could obtain in all Spain. It is 
acknowledged on all hands that this impor- 
tation was carefully selected from the 
choicest flocks of Spain. Occupying the 
position of minister as he did he was in 
favor with the government, and was granted 
privileges in the selection of sheep which 
others had not enjoyed, and he no doubt 
made the best of his opportunity, and se- 
lected nothing but the best and purest blood. 

The history of the improved sheep of 
America is full of interest, and the state of 
Ohio has had no little part in the produc- 
tion of the fine strains of the sheep we have. 
The Spanish Merino received our first at- 
tention, but soon in our state as in other 
sections of the country there were imported 
the French Merinos or the Rambouillet, 

123 



Breeds an d the German or Saxon Merinos ; and 
in Ohio fr° m these early Spanish Merino importa- 
tions was developed the American Merino. 
All these various breeds were derived from 
the original Merino of Spain. Sheep, 
originally brought into Spain and subjected 
to the influences there, in process of time 
had certain distinct traits fixed, by which 
they were characterized. The French 
Merino resulted from the change of condi- 
tion, and altered system of management 
when the Merino was taken from Spain 
into France. While in the same way, the 
Merino, being taken from Spain into Sax- 
ony, a new isolation of them took place 
there ; and new conditions after a time re- 
ceived modifications, to which the name 
Saxon properly belongs ; and in the same 
way still, the Merinos being brought from 
Spain into the United States have under- 
gone many changes and assumed modifi- 
cations until it became a special being in 
itself as distinct as the Spanish, or the 
Saxon, or the Rambouillet. It is not nec- 
essary to go into the details of the history 
of the Spanish Merino sheep since its im- 
portation into the United States. There 
124 



seems to be no uncertainty or doubt about Breeds 
Col. David Humphreys's importation being f n ^f 
the most prominent in having wielded the 
greatest influence in the Merino flocks of 
this country. Aside from the Adams im- 
portation of 1 80 1 and later the sheep that 
he brought into this state from Colonel 
Humphreys's flock, that of Mr. Thomas 
Rotch was the most important. In 1809, 
Rotch with a number of friends emigrated 
from Connecticut to Stark county, Ohio, 
and brought with him a small flock of the 
imported Spanish Merinos * which he had 
purchased from Colonel Humphreys. Mr. 
Rotch bred his flock carefully for a num- 
ber of years. Three of the number which 
he brought with him from Connecticut he 
sold to W. R. Dickinson of Steubenville, 
Ohio, in 1809. Dickinson was a member 
of the firm of Wells & Dickinson, who were 
extensive woolen manufacturers at Steuben- 
ville. They owned some fine flocks and 
spared no money in improving them. The 
foundation 2 of the Dickinson flock was pur- 
chased from James Caldwell of Pennsylva- 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1899, page 456. 
* Delaine Merino Register, Vol. I, page 24. American Farmer, 
Vol. VIII, page 81. 

I2 S 



Breeds n ia, who was an extensive breeder of Meri- 
in Ohio nos * Caldwell's flock was likewise im- 
proved from the Humphreys importations, 
but not altogether ; for Caldwell himself 
says he spent more than $40,000 upon Me- 
rino sheep, from the importations that fol- 
lowed Humphreys. A large flock was 
accumulated by him, which in 1815 was 
sold to Mr. Dickinson, and this flock was 
further improved at Steubenville. The 
fame of this improved Dickinson flock be- 
gan to spread until it became one of the 
most celebrated in the United States, and 
large numbers were procured for breeding 
purposes. It was soon found that the 
sheep differed from the Spanish and the 
French and Saxon that had been imported, 
and in course of time assumed distinct mod- 
ifications over the other breeds. This is one 
of several varieties of the Delaine type of 
Merinos. 

Its improvement and development have 
principally taken place m this state and 
Washington county, Pennsylvania. The 
American Merino has a few items as land- 
marks in its progress. 

" While the writings or printed histories 
126 



of the Adams, Humphreys, Heaton, and Breeds 
Jarvis importations are practically lost, °f n omo 
owing to numerous transfers, the flock of 
C. S. Ramsey, Castleton, Vermont, has an 
unbroken traditional record from the Hum- 
phreys importation to the present time. In 
1809 Isaac Putnam of Marietta, Ohio, 
bought of Seth Adams, Zanesville, some 
full blood Merinos, and founded a flock 
which was continued by his son, J. L. P. 
Putnam, substantially to the present time, 
but without registration. June 13, 181 1, 
Dr. Increase Matthews of Putnam, Ohio, 
bought an imported ram and two ewes, 
just imported into Virginia, and had them 
brought in a wagon to his farm in Ohio, 
where he kept up a pure flock until 1850. 
In 181 1 Colonel Humphreys sold a ram 
for 1,600 acres of land in Ohio, to Paul 
Fearing and B. J. Gilman of Marietta, 
Ohio, and this ram was brought and laid 
the foundation stock for a flock which was 
kept up for many years. In 1826 Col. 
John Stone and George Dana of Bellepre, 
Ohio, bought a number of pure Merinos 
from the celebrated Dickinson flock of 
Steubenville, Ohio ; this flock just men- 

127 



Breeds tioned was founded in 1815 and continued 
of Sheep ., . _ , _ 

in Ohio untli 1 ° 2 9i when it was a great nock of 

three thousand head shearing about five 

pounds of washed wool per fleece. It was 

then sold and scattered ] . The Black Top 

or Delaine Merino is an excellent variety 

of the American Merino. 

All these breeders were instrumental in 
building up and improving the pioneer 
sheep of the state. And to their care and 
energy much of the credit of the American 
Merino is due. 

The introduction of the full blooded Sax- 
ony Merinos into Ohio is not definitely 
known, but it was soon after their first 
importation into the United States in 1825- 
1826. In i860 the Saxons had practically 
run their course and were generally super- 
seded by the Spanish Merino. There was 
some crossing with the French Merino and 
also with the Silesian, introduced by Wil- 
liam H. Ladd into Jefferson county in 
1854. From 1854 t0 I 86o the number oi 
fine-wool sheep greatly diminished, and 
long-wooled sheep began to attract more 
attention. The common, or so-called native, 

1 The American Merino, page 20. 
128 



sheep went into Ohio with the early settlers Breeds 
but were eventually crossed out by the ( n oh ? 
Merino. As early as 1830 the improved 
English breeds were taken into the state. 1 
In 1834 I saac Maynard brought into Cosh- 
octon county the first Southdowns, New 
Leicester, Lincolnshire and Cotswold sheep 
that were ever brought into the state. 

The importation consisted of ten South- 
downs and three of each of the other kinds. 
An early Southdown flock was that of 
J. F. King of Warren, Ohio, who com- 
menced breeding Southdown sheep in 
1844 with stock from the flocks of Jonas 
Webb, England, imported by J. H. 
Hesless of Trumbull county, Ohio. In 
1848 he bought a ram of imported stock 
known as " Morris ram." Descendants of 
this flock are found in some of the best 
Ohio flocks of the present day. 2 

The great change in the sheep industiy 
of the state is attributed to the low prices of 
wool since 1872. Merino flocks at this 
date were not as large, and the mutton 
sheep were more looked to, and in general 

1 Report of Sheep Industry of the United States, page 521. 

2 Sheep Husbandry, 1892, page 921. 

129 



Breeds proved to be the most profitable. Fine 
in Ohio Leicester, Lincolns, Cotswolds, Oxfords, 
Hampshires, Southdowns, Shropshires, 
and Horned Dorsets have found their way 
into all parts of the state and are increasing, 
while the Merinos are decreasing. In 
1865, 90 per cent, of the sheep of the state 
were Merinos and their grades, but to-day 
scarcely one fourth are of this class. Fine- 
wool flocks have suffered since 1883. The 
decline of wool and the uncertainties of 
legislation continued with the increasing 
demands for mutton convinced many 
farmers of Ohio that wool-growing could 
be made to pay only when combined with 
raising mutton. Breeds were therefore 
selected which would raise good carcass as 
well as shear a good fleece. The Cotswold 
came in for a good share of this change, 
and many farmers found it advantageous 
to cross the Cotswold with the Merino. 1 

For a long time the Southdowns were the 
favorite mutton sheep, particularly in the 
neighborhood of the cities where the best 
mutton was in demand. Among the early 
mention of the Southdowns in Ohio, "The 

1 Sheep Industry of the U. S., 1892, page 552. 
130 



Western Farmer and Gardener" issued in Breeds 
Cincinnati in March, 1841, contains an en- °f n Ohio 
graving "of a pure-bred imported South- 
down ewe, and of a ewe whose dam was a 
pure imported Southdown and her sire an 
imported Bakewell," the latter being rep- 
resented with a lamb at her feet. These 
sheep were owned by George Smith, near 
Carthage, Ohio, who it is said, "is one 
of the few individuals in the West who 
have turned their attention to the breeding 
of the finer improved varieties of sheep." 
Of the sheep it is said, "the Southdowns 
may be taken as the model of the hill- 
s/iceft, they have a patience of occasional 
short keep, and an endurance of hard 
stocking equal to any other sheep ; and 
early maturity, and the flesh finely grained 
and of a peculiarly good flavor. The wool 
of this breed is short, close curled and 
fine, and free from projecting fibres." In 
a later issue, 1 October, 1841, we find Mr. 
White advertising for sale, " 18 buck lambs 
of pure Southdown and Bakewell breeds 
and few of a cross between those and the 
Cotswolds ;" also, "several thoroughbred 

1 Western Farmer and Gardener, October, 1841. 

131 



Breeds Southdown and Bakewell bucks will be 
in Ohio P erm i tte d to stand in the season." 

Mr. J. F. King, Warren, Ohio, com- 
menced breeding these sheep in 1844, with 
a ram and four ewes that Mr. Hesless, 
above mentioned, had imported from the 
flock of Jonas Webb, England. In 1848 
he bought a ram from H. G. Morris that was 
bred by Mr. Morris from imported stock ; 
in 1852 he bought from Seth Bushnell, 
Trumbull county, Ohio, a ram that had 
been imported from England by Mr. Christy 
of northern Ohio ; in 1856 he bought of R. 
A. Alexander, Spring Station, Kentucky, 
the choice often rams imported from Scot- 
land ; in i860 he bought from Joseph Cope, 
West Chester, Penn., a ram that was bred 
by J. C. Taylor, Holmdel, New Jersey, 
that was by an imported ram out of an im- 
ported ewe ; in 1870 and 1874 he bought 
rams of Thomas Bennington, Sr., LaPorte, 
Ohio, and in 1874 ne bought a ram from 
Mr. Fell of Pennsylvania. 

T. C. Jones, Delaware, Ohio, commenced 

breeding Southdowns in 1864. The first 

ram used was purchased from George H. 

Brown, Washington Hollow, New York. 

132 



This ram took first prize as a yearling at Breeds 
the New York State Fair in 1864, and was f n Ohio 
from Samuel Thome's, Dutchess county, 
New York, breeding. His first two ewes 
were also from Mr. Thome's flock. Rams 
afterwards introduced into the flock were 
from the flock of A. J. Alexander, Spring 
Station, Kentucky. 

G. J. Hagerty & Sons, Hanover, Ohio, 
were early in the seventies, perhaps before, 
breeders of Southdowns, purchasing from 
J. F. King, Warren, Ohio; S. Meredith & 
Son, Indiana ; T. J. Magibbon, Kentucky, 
and others. 

J. Duer, Galena, Ohio, was in 1875 
breeding Southdowns with stock from the 
flock of T. C. Jones, Delaware, Ohio. 

T. L. Anderson, Anderson, Ohio, was in 
1876 a breeder of these sheep with ewes 
from the flock of A. J. Alexander, Ken- 
tucky, and ram tracing to the flock of Sam- 
uel Thorne, New York. 

The Oxfords, Hampshires, and Shrop- 
shires all took a fresh start about 1885, and 
their respective breeders soon became very 
enthusiastic in the production of these mut- 
ton breeds. 

i33 



Breeds A breed that has since 1891 come into 

in Ohio ratner prominent note is the Horned Dor- 
set, 1 whose distinguishing peculiarity is its 
ability to lamb at an early season. Lamb 
production has lately become an important 
feature, and the past few years have 
demonstrated the wonderful success of the 
breeding. Horned Dorsets have been 
known in the United States only since the 
fall of 1885, when Messrs. E. & A. Stan- 
ford of England exhibited a small flock at 
the Chicago Fat Stock Show. The first 
owned in the United States were purchased 
by William Daley of Lockport, New York, 
from V. E. Fuller of Canada, in March, 
1887. The first direct importation from Eng- 
land was the twelve head of Adin Thayer 
of New York, in June, 1887. The first 
importation into Ohio was in 1891, by T. S. 
Cooper. Mr. Joseph E. Wing of Mechan- 
icsburg, Ohio, is one of the prominent rais- 
ers of this breed. His flocks consist of 
some of the original Cooper importation, 
and later purchases from Pennsylvania and 
New Jersey. 

In the early history of the sheep industry 

1 Continental Dorset Club, Vol. I. 
134 



of the state but little importance was at- Breeds 
tached to the production of good mutton, / oh ^ 
and it was further neglected when the intro- 
duction of Merinos directed the whole atten- 
tion to wool. Wethers and rejected sheep 
furnished the mutton ; but this was but a 
secondary object. It was only in some 
particular districts where there was an in- 
creased demand for fat wethers, or on farms 
containing rich pastures and an abundance 
of food, the fattening of wethers became a 
matter of much importance. This state of 
affairs prevailed not only because the pro- 
duction of wool was more profitable, but 
also the savor and value of good mutton 
was not appreciated. Years later the prices 
of wool had fallen, and production of mut- 
ton began to receive attention. The Eng- 
lish races of sheep were looked to ; for the 
English people appreciated mutton and de- 
veloped the mutton breeds. So about 1845 
to 1850 two English breeds, the Leicester 
and Southdown, became of practical inter- 
est, and many animals of these classes were 
introduced. At later periods the Lincoln, 
Cotswold, and Oxford Downs were im- 
ported and became well appreciated. 1 The 

1 Ohio Agricultural Reports. Sheep Industry of U. S., 1892. 

135 



Breeds most noted of the early Shropshires in the 
in Ohio state were imported from England by Geo. 
Mailer in 1862, when a ewe and the famous 
ram " Lion," both bred by Lord Berwick, 
Shrewsbury, England, were brought into 
the state by Judge Chaffee. At the present 
day there are prominent flocks of all these 
breeds in Ohio. 

At first, as we have inferred, wool re- 
ceived the principal attention of sheep 
growers. But wool growing was not 
always a grand success. It was a difficult 
matter for the flock master to keep an eye 
on his flock and the other on the Washing- 
ton politician. While improving the former 
the latter got the best of the situation, and 
the farmer to-day realizes that to receive 
profit from his flock, the mutton side must 
be largely taken into consideration. And 
so the paying sheep of Ohio are of the latter 
class. The course of the strictly wool sheep 
has been run. It was a glorious race and 
famous. If the breeders of mutton sheep 
reach as great success, the highest laurels 
can be given them, and the loudest shouts 
in their praise. 
136 



CHAPTER X 

INTRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF 
SOME BREEDS OF SWINE. 

Ohio has always been a swine-producing 
state, and within her borders two of the 
most popular and celebrated breeds owe 
their development. 

While the early settlers and immigrants 
brought with them the best household and 
farming implements their limited means 
would allow to obtain in the older states, 
they also brought the best strains of 
cattle, horses, sheep, and in many cases 
hogs. But the last class did not receive 
the early attention for improvement that the 
others did. The China, Berkshire, and the 
Russian were the first 1 used to cross upon 
the common hog of the state. As soon as 
the people of the state realized the value of 
the hog and the ease of producing him by 
corn and the timber-furnished food, im- 
provement began and was continued in a 
marked degree. The production of hogs 
increased then so rapidly that Cincinnati 

1 Ohio Agricultural Reports. 
137 



Introduc- early became the packing center of the 
West. In the Miami valley the China, 



Develop 
ment of 
Swine 



Berkshire, Woburn, Russian, and the Irish 
Grazer blood mingled with that of the com- 
mon hog and the Poland China breed was 
evolved and improved to meet the wants of 
packer and feeder. In northern Ohio, in 
the dairy districts, where the conditions of 
feed, soil, and handling were very different, 
the white hog of Pennsylvania was im- 
proved and we find a breed known as 
Todd's Improved Chester White. The 
early importation of hogs was meagre and 
unimportant. We find expressions of some 
improved and pure-bred hogs introduced 
into the state from 1815 to 1820. But little 
advance was made before 1850. A few 
had been exhibited at the fairs the few 
years previously, but in no classified lists. 
Since that time, improvement has been 
rapid, and even greater than any advance 
that has been made with horses, cattle, or 
sheep, and with a far smaller outlay for 
imported animals for breeding stock. The 
earlier importations were from the Eastern 
states, while a few were imported from 
England. But very few of these importa- 
138 



tions took place prior to 1850. At HasMrodut- 
period there was scarcely a herd in the^^x 
state. A few pedigreed sires of Leices-*«*«* of 
ter, Essex, Berkshire, and Yorkshire weve S,wme 
introduced and an occasional brood sow 
was the limit of the first introductions. 

The common hog of the state was princi- 
pally bred, and at an early day cattle and 
hog raising became the important branches 
of farming in some parts of the state, es- 
pecially in the Miami valleys 1 . For a 
long time then the common hog was grown 
and bred. But demand of hogs with cer- 
tain requirements for the packing houses in 
Cincinnati, led all hog growers to adapt 
themselves to certain conditions, which 
gave rise to improvement, by more careful 
feeding, and judicious breeding, with 
other and pure-bred animals, which in 
time found development of the Poland 
China hog. This breed of hogs has since 
become very popular in the Western states. 
The history of their origin, development, 
and correct name has been subject of much 
comment and theory. 

This breed has been characterized by 

1 One Hundred Years Progress. 
139 



introduc- numerous names, because of its develop- 
tion and . , . , 

ment, but no one man, in any particular 



Develop 
ment of 
Swine 



place, and any particular time, produced 
the breed. Its formation is the result of 
many conditions and circumstances. " The 
Poland China hog originated in the Miami 
valley, and it is nowhere apparent that it 
originated from the purpose or work of any 
one individual. The conditions of soil, cli- 
mate, produce, and markets of that region, 
all favored the business of swine growing, 
and as a result pork producing became the 
most profitable feature of farming." * The 
Poland-China breed has not been the pro- 
duct of a few years, neither was the breed- 
ing and selecting of someone special breed 
of hogs. It has resulted from the crossing 
and selection of several strains. Breeds in 
evidence in the production of this famous 
herd were the common hog, the Berkshire, 
the Bedfords, Byfields, Irish Grazers, the 
Russian, and the Chinas . 2 These differ- 
ent classes and breeds have all entered in 
the blood. 

The common hog in the state represents 

1 Swine Breeding, page 21. 

2 Record of Poland-Chinas, Vol. I. 
140 



the animal the early settlers brought with 7 ^ 7 ^- 
them. And upon this animal was begun D eve j p. 
the framework that supports the intrinsic ment of 
type of the most celebrated breed that has ^ 
been evolved and developed on the Ameri- 
can farm. The common hog was the basis 
of this illustrious breed. He no doubt was 
first brought to the state by the settlers at 
Marietta and Washington, but by whom 
history does not record. No doubt his 
blood was mixed with so many different 
crosses that it was easily influenced and 
impressed by contact with blood of any 
other animal of better breeding. The By- 
field and Russian hogs 1 were early intro- 
duced in the Miami valley and were highly 
esteemed for crossing purposes. The for- 
mer was a great white hog with lopped 
ears of considerable length, small head, 
dished face, thin hair, large fine bone, and 
thick in the shoulders. " Different grade 
crosses of these two breeds and again with 
the Chinas, have produced the Warren 
county hog." Both of these breeds were 
known in Ohio before 1840. 

The Berkshire element was prominent in 

1 Record Poland China, Vol. I. 
141 



Introduc- fat history of the breed, for as early as 
Develop- ^35 a boar and a sow were introduced 
ment of into Butler county, from Albany, New 
Swine York. It seems probable that the Berk- 
shire and Sussex had many years before 
produced the Bedford or Woburn strain 
which was a permanent breed of hogs in 
southwestern Ohio in 1845-1850. About 
the same time the Irish Grazer appeared. 
This animal was " white, with a few spots 
of black, upright ears, light jowl, fine coat- 
ing, and would fatten at any age. This 
was the stock of hogs that gave the Poland 
Chinas their fine coating and symmetrical 
form." 1 In 1839 these Irish pigs were brought 
to Cincinnati ; later importations soon fol- 
lowed and they became an approved breed. 
" Latterly the introduction of some of 
our best breeds (from England) with which 
to cross the old Irish swine had been at- 
tended with decided success, although there 
is room for further improvement. Berk- 
shire, Suffolk, Yorkshire, and some Chi- 
nese boars and sows have been intro- 
duced" 2 (1838). 

1 Western Stock Journal, 1870. 

2 Genesee Farmer, Vol. Ill, page 98. 

142 



The breed which did the most for ft&lntroduc' 
improvement of the hogs of the Miami val- rtevelop- 
ley, as they did for the improvement otment of 
swine in England, is the China. The first wine 
introduction of this breed into Ohio was in 
1816 by the Shakers of Union village. 
They were called the " Big China Hogs." 
They were bought in Philadelphia by John 
Wallace, trustee of the Shaker society, 
near Lebanon. There was a boar and 
three sows. One sow had some sandy 
spots about her, in which appeared some 
small black spots. The boar and the other 
sows were white. By their use on the 
mongrels, by the Russian, Byfield, and 
common hogs, came the Miami valley hog. 
That this Shaker importation of Chinas 
was pure China stock there is reason to 
doubt. 

Nevertheless, they impressed in a won- 
derful degree their offspring with the 
quicker feeding quality, that seemed to be 
the leading idea in the improvement of that 
period. 1 Before the year 1842 many allu- 
sions were made concerning the China hog 
by writers in the Ohio Cultivator ', and the 

1 Standard Poland China Record, Vol. I, page 26. 

143 



Introduc- 
tion and 
Develop- 
ment of 
Swine 



Western Farmer, as to their value for 
crossing purposes, for their impress was 
made on all animals which were crossed 
with them. "The use of the China has 
been beneficial in correcting coarseness of 
frame, in quieting the restless disposition 
and increasing the tendency to fatten at 
any age, and refine the texture and quality 
of flesh." 1 

The Poland or Red hog was another 
powerful element in attaching its charac- 
teristics to all its posterity, especially the 
color and vigorous growth. There is some 
question and doubt as to whether the Po- 
land was a distinct breed at all. This 
class might have been the sandy Berkshire 
from England, or even an improved mon- 
grel in this state, but it is reasonably cer- 
tain that it was a class near akin, in form 
and disposition, to the Berkshire. And to 
this class belongs one of the strongest ele- 
ments of improvement, which impression 
upon the hogs of the valley and the West 
has been lasting and powerful. 

As to the precise crosses, and by whom 
and under what circumstances the Poland 

1 Standard Poland China Record, Vol. I, page 26. 
144 



China breed was formed, history does not Intro(iuc - 
tell and tradition has scarcely more to tell, jj eve i p. 
except that the common hog as a basis, ment of 
crossed with the better breeds and offspring wme 
intercrossed through many years with an 
unconscious guidance all the time by the 
law of selection, the Poland China breed 
has been evolved and developed, until the 
law of isolation had produced a type, sepa- 
rate and distinct. " Their size, color, 
hardiness, docility, and good feeding qual- 
ities make them favorites when purely bred, 
and where more fineness, quicker maturity, 
and a little less size is demanded, we are 
satisfied the sows bred to boars of the Berk- 
shire breed produce the best feeding and 
farm hogs in the world." 1 

Todd's Improved Chester White breed 
of hogs has its origin in northern Ohio, in 
the dairy region of the state. The origin 
of this breed began about 1834 when Knee- 
land Todd brought into Ohio from Connec- 
ticut a boar of the " Norfolk Thin Rind" 
breed and a white pig known in East 
Haven as the " Grass-Breed." The latter 
were considered by the farmers of that 

1 Colburn's Swine Breeding, page 33. 
145 



Tntroduc- vicinity as very valuable hogs, " noted for 

* Develop' tlieir earl y maturity, good feeding quality, 

ment of and excellent meat. They were of medium 

Swine size and pure white." 1 "The 'Thin 

Rind 'was black, belted and white. The 

progeny of these pigs were very fine and 

soon had notoriety." 1 

In 1833 Isaac Haskins brought from 
New Bedford, Mass., a very choice pair of 
pigs for breeding purposes. He settled in 
Wakeman, Ohio, the home of the Todds, 
where acquaintance with these breeders 
was made and which resulted in crossing 
the Todd hogs with the Haskins, making 
for the former one of the finest herds of 
swine at that time in the state. 

In 1848 one of the Todds in attending a 
county fair discovered some very fine pigs 
bred by Joel Mead of Norwalk, Ohio. 
These were of the " Large Grass-Breed," 
pure white in color, with short, heavy legs, 
knees springing, head short and dished, 
hair straight and fine, ears large and closely 
lopped, tail large, body long, back straight 
and broad, good ham, and full flank. The 

1 Record of Todd's Improved Chester White Swine, Vol. I, 
page 11. 

146 



best boar pig of this exhibition was rmr- Introdue- 
chased and bred to the Todd stock, V^Dwdot- 
during a cross which not only carried off ment of 
the prizes at the Cleveland State fair ovzr Swine 
all competitors, but was a marvel to all 
who saw it. In 1862 a hog called " Nor- 
mandy Boar" was purchased. This breed 
was of French origin but nothing more 
seems to be known of it, excepting its 
characteristics, uniform in appearance, 
pure white and curly, short, thick neck, 
and medium bone. This animal made a 
valuable cross with the Todd hogs, and the 
combination of these different bloods formed 
a class of hogs known then as the " Todd 
hog." The Todd Improved Chester White 
breed is the result of the combination of 
blood of the " Pure Chesters "mingled with 
the " Todd Hog." 1 In 1867, Hon. S. H. 
Todd purchased of George B. Hickman a 
pair of "Pure Chesters," and soon after 
three more, followed by three other ship- 
ments, which mingled with the breed pre- 
viously developed found the Ohio Chester 
White breed. 

1 Record of Todd's Improved Chester White Swine, Vol. I, 
page 12. 

147 



Introduc 
Hon and 
Develop- 
ment of 
Swine 



Berkshire hogs were found in mongrel 
condition to some considerable extent about 
1840. It had oft been repeated that at this 
time no pure-bred animals of this race were 
to be found in the state, though a few pure- 
bred animals had been brought to the state 
long before. Soon after, however, the 
Berkshire fever struck the state. Importa- 
tion and improvement at once began and in 
a few years this breed was well established 
in the state. Among the early breeders in 
the state whose untiring industry devoted 
to the Berkshire breed as seen to-day 
should be mentioned, E. R. Glenn of 
Springfield; Garrett Williamson, Spring- 
field ; Aaron Tichenor, Lebanon ; Munson 
Reach, Lebanon. This breed spread very 
rapidly ; the farmers bred them with great 
zeal, with a view of the greatest possible 
improvement. 

Improved Suffolk hogs made their ap- 
pearance in the state about 1853, when 
Peter Melendy, 1 near Cincinnati, Ohio, 
brought from Boston the Suffolk hog " In- 
dependence," which had been pronounced 
the best hog in New England, by winning 

1 Ohio Cultivator, Vol. IX, page 273- 
148 



the various prize cups and fair premiums. Introduc- 
Mr. Melendy brought from the same place D eve i s,_ 
fifteen Suffolk swine at the same time. lament of 
the same year Messrs. N. F. Chaffee and^ 1 ' 
F. J. Jones 1 brought into Ashtabula county 
a lot of this rare breed. They were beau- 
tiful specimens of the pork race. In 1854 
N. B. Hogg, Esq., Newark, Ohio, pur- 
chased some Essex and Suffolk swine from 
the imported stock of Col. L. G. Norris, 
Fordham. 2 These three breeds furnished 
in the main the Suffolk stock which was 
later diffused to some extent throughout 
the state. The Chester Whites, York- 
shires, and more recently the Duroc-Jersey 
breeds of swine have been well received in 
this state. The Chester White in the dairy 
regions and the Yorkshires and Duroc-Jer- 
seys in the corn-producing districts, have 
received considerable attention. No es- 
pecial efforts have been given to the devel- 
opment and improvement of either in this 
state. They owe their introduction to their 
peculiar fitness for certain conditions and 
environments. The history of swine rais- 

1 Ohio Cultivator, Vol. IX, page 358. 

2 Country Gentleman, 1864. 

149 



/ntroduc- [ n g anc J breeding in Ohio is one of contin- 
Develojh ua ^ improvement and advancement. The 
ment of factors of selection and judicial breeding 
u ' uie have been the most potent in the produc- 
tion of our improved breeds of hogs to-day. 
What breed or breeds of cattle, or sheep or 
horses have been produced from such 
mongrel stock ? We are proud of all these 
that have been developed but we are just as 
proud of our swine, which choice animals 
and breeds have been produced through the 
aid of but little imported stock. 



CHAPTER XI 

INTRODUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF FARM 
IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINERY 

With the approaching completion of the 
Ohio canal, a great activity was taking 
place in converting the forests into waving 
fields of grain. Agriculture was unsettled 
until 1832, when canal navigation was 
begun, and so great an impulse was given, 
the effect was felt for a long time. Im- 
proved farm implements now resulted as a 
necessity. Before the number was few 
because not needed. Now life was put into 
the work. A market was obtained and the 
call left unfilled. A period of improved 
machinery set in. The old wooden mould- 
board plow was being superseded by the 
cast-iron mouldboard in 1825, and similar 
progress was taking place in all other 
branches of agriculture. The demand of 
the market was for wheat, and soon the 
lands were being stripped of their forest 
growth. In the development of farm im- 
plements, none had done more than the 

151 



Introduc- wedge-shaped, plain, narrow, convexed 
Improve- e< % e > w ^ tn lts light handle of tough hick- 
ment of ory, cut to fit and retain the grasp of the 
^Zhin- hand - What a weapon that has been ! 
ery What fitter emblem for the state than the 

pioneer axe ? Next in order came the stump 
puller, which was an efficient aid in reclaim- 
ing the land for the plow and the produc- 
tion of crops. The plow came in its order. 
Of all farming implements the plow holds 
the first place of importance. Jethro Wood 
had brought out his cast-iron plow, but it 
was not introduced in the state until 1825, 
and received no general use until some 
years after. Up to the year 1840, there 
was little improvement in the plow. Editor 
Q^ D. Harris says the following of the 
Ohio plow r 1 "In 1817, when we took our 
first lessons in plowing, by riding on the 
beam, farmers had only one kind of plow, 
the wooden plow, — massive beam, mould- 
board, landside, standard — all except the 
wrought-iron share and long bolt ; and 
many is the week our boy's legs have 
trudged between the handles of such an 
institution after a yoke of oxen with a horse 

1 Ohio Cultivator, Vol. VIII, page 340. 
152 



in the lead. When we arrived at the yea.vs /ntro ^ uc - 
of discretion — that is, twenty-one and %■ j m p roV e- 
wife — the cast-iron plows were coming into ment of 
fashion, but though a great improvement ^c/rin- 
on the timber plow, it was such a thing asery 
no modern farmer (1857) would take as a 
gift. The opening of the rich, black lands 
of the West created a demand for a plow l 
that would scour, which the best cast-iron 
plows would not do upon the prairies or 
upon the Scioto bottoms. Then the steel 
plow was brought out, and the farmer could 
hardly credit the tale that a plow was found 
that would clean in any soil. Up to the 
year 1848 steel plows in Ohio were as 
scarce as honest lawyers in chancery. At 
the beginning of that year, a blacksmith 
who had learned to make steel plows, came 
to Gambier, Knox county, Ohio, with his 
young family, for the purpose of educating 
himself for a minister of the gospel, at Ken- 
yon college. Having no capital but a good 
trade and a stout heart, he set up a rude 
forge and commenced to * work his pass- 
age.' On the first of February, 1848, he 
inserted a modest advertisement in the Ohio 

1 Ohio Cultivator, 1848. 

153 



fntroduc- Cultivator to furnish steel plows and war- 
Improve- rant tne snare an d mouldboard of every 
ment of one to polish throughout in any soil how- 
Machin- ever damp. This was thought a very bold 
ery proposition, and brought orders from some 

of our heavy valley farms. The plows 
justified the warranty, and the student- 
blacksmith had his hands full of work. 
Having acquitted himself creditably in both 
capacities, the student laid aside his leather 
apron and hammer and betook himself 
more exclusively to the surplice and prayer 
book, while others have kept up the apos- 
tolic succession of the plow. We will not 
say in which capacity the blacksmith has 
done the more good to the country. Cer- 
tain it is that as a plow maker he deserves 
the meed of a most honorable mention, and 
now as we sometimes take the hand of the 
Rev. E. A. Strong and look into his keen 
eye and determined face, we feel like pro- 
nouncing upon him the benediction of agri- 
culture ; and when we go to Gambier Hill 
we look upon the sight of that rude forge 
with as much interest as we used to muse 
among the ruins of Ticonderoga and Crown 
Point." 

i54 



These plows, made by student Strong, tntroduc- 

, , r. r i • , i j. ti° n and 

seem to be the first successful iron ones ^^ i m p rove . 

were used in the state. The steel plow ment of 
came into use about 1848, and passed ^J lin _ 
through the stage of experimentation mosWj/ 
successfully. Plow makers now exercised 
their best skill in fashioning a plow that 
should turn the soil in the best manner with 
the least possible draft. 

We find the improvement about as fol- 
lows : The timber plow was in use about 
1825 when the cast-iron plow appeared and 
was used simultaneously with the old tim- 
ber plow, when in 1840 the timber plow 
fell into disuse and the cast-iron was used. 
But it was not satisfactory because it would 
not clean. Eighteen forty-eight brought 
out the steel plow. This one turned the 
soil in a good manner, with a diminished 
draft over the others. Plow makers now 
exercised their best skill in fashioning the 
steel plow. Eighteen fifty found the plow, 
first begun by student Strong, popular and 
efficient ; they quickly superseded the old 
cast-iron plow throughout southern and 
central Ohio, when a few years later they 
were introduced all over the state. In 185 1 

i55 



Introduc- fat Michigan plow 1 of Newell French was 
Improve- introduced into the state and was pro- 
ment of nounced good by most of the intelligent 
*? r; f •. farmers. It was a cast-iron double plow. 
ery The " double " feature was especially es- 

teemed, and in 1855 there appeared a num- 
ber of steel double plows, along with the 
steel single ones. Steel plows now came 
into general use. Two of the most prom- 
inent makers were Gill & Co. of Columbus, 
and J. Roberts & Co. of Cincinnati. One 
enthusiast in writing of the steel double 
plow says, " A steel double plow makes a 
seed bed as handsome and clean as if it 
were done with a spade — not a weed or tuft 
of grass left uncovered, and the whole sur- 
face even and as fine as meal. Here is 
another advantage, upon a sod field, thus 
prepared with but one plowing you can 
go on with the wheat drill, or cultivator 
plow, and put in the seed at once, with 
all the elements of fertility in the right 
place." 

At this time much attention was given to 
improved plows. " The old must go " was 
said and acted upon by farmers rich or 

1 Western Farmer and Ohio Cultivator. 

156 



poor all over the country. The timber ?ind /ntroiiuc - 
the old wrought-iron mouldboard plows /J^^. 
were laid away. In the United States vXment of 
about the time cast and steel plows came ^ r; f • 
into use three hundred different plows were ery 
patented and of these forty or more were 
granted to Ohio people. In a short time 
the side draft, hillside, center draft, subsoil, 
and drainage plows came into extensive 
use. 1 The plow in most common use in 
Ohio during the ''fifties" had a share to 
take in about ten to twelve inches, and some 
of the valley plows as much as eighteen 
inches ; the mouldboard of corresponding 
style, to turn over the great width. The 
short bold curve, which was usually given 
to this mouldboard, was not adapted to lay 
the even unbroken lap, but left the land in 
a more broken and pulverized state. This 
plow was not so well suited for clay soils, 
but after a time manufacturers got to mak- 
ing them of all sizes and dimensions, to 
suit all soils and every taste. The coulter 
was not uncommon, being used a great 
deal in newly broken land to prevent the 
plow from being choked with rubbish; 

1 Howe's History of Ohio. 

157 



Tntroduc- sometimes it was a sharp steel disk, some- 

Improve- tmies a perpendicular projection from the 

mentof share, and sometimes the place of coulter 

^V"! . was rilled bv a smaller plow, but much 

Machin- J r 

cry larger than our plow coulter ot to-day. 

Hillside plows were used to some consider- 
able extent in the hilly parts of the state. 
It was quite popular to use across hillsides, 
always throwing a furrow down hill instead 
of running it up and down the slope, which 
besides the inconvenience on steep land, 
occasions in rainy seasons great washing 
oi the soil. It is also used on level land 
whenever it is desirable to avoid ridges. 
The plow was made by having the upper 
and lower sides of the share and of mould- 
board precisely similar, so that each in turn 
may form the sole, and fixing it on a pivot, 
which admits its being thrown around be- 
neath the beam, from right to left or from 
left to right, and forming either a right 
handed or a left handed plow. 

Left handed plows were most common in 
the state ; the reason given was that the 
plowman was better enabled to guide the 
furrow horse with his left hand and the 
plow with his right. The team invariably 
i 5 3 



consisted of two or three horses abreast, Introduc- 
which are kept at a proper distance by & / m j, rove _ 
" jocky stick" extending from the collar oimentof 
one to the bit of the other. ^Tachin- 

The pioneer harrow, made from the^-y 
crotch of a tree, was succeeded by the tri- 
angular and " v" shaped ones, and they in 
turn gave over to some new inventions. 
The " v" shaped harrow most used was the 
Geddes folding, divided longitudinally, and 
the two parts hinged together, so as to ad- 
mit either being raised by the driver. This 
was very convenient in fields encumbered 
with stumps and boulders as was the case 
in those days. The square harrow, both 
single and double in form, was in its primi- 
tive form efficient for pulverization on 
smooth land free from obstructions. Wood- 
en teeth, and afterwards iron teeth, were 
used — large, square, or round, and few in 
number. Tough and sound timber four 
inches square was used for the frame. 

Later inventions on this harrow gave us 
an implement with a large number of teeth, 
fastened in an iron frame. This makes an 
admirable harrow and ordinarily leaves the 
ground smooth and level. The spring tooth 

i59 



Introduc- and disc harrows came in later, and have 
Improve- P rove d their high value for the work in- 
nmit of tended. 

F " rn J. _ The old method of cultivating corn by 
ery hand and by the horse hoe, to rid the fields 

of weeds, caused particular attention to be 
given to dropping the seed at regular inter- 
vals, so as to admit the horse hoe, travers- 
ing the field in many directions. In 1824 
a corn cultivator appeared, and was a valu- 
able implement for the cultivation of the 
large areas that were being planted to corn 
in the state. Improved methods of field 
culture of cereals came principally through 
the invention and introduction of a va- 
riety of cultivators and other implements, 
by which animal power replaced the hand 
culture of the crop. At an early date the 
single shovel cultivator for one horse was 
produced, and later another shovel was 
added, forming a two-shovel plow. The 
latter was generally used until about 1860- 
'65, and to some little extent as late as 1880. 
The first straddle row two-horse cultiva- 
tor was made by George Esterly in 1856. 1 
This idea was immediately adopted and 

1 One Hundred Years of Progress. 
160 



cultivators of this type were soon used over Introdnc- 
, u , • Hon and 

the entire state. improve- 

In 183 1 the first threshing machine was ment of 

introduced in the state, in the northern por-v? 77 ?. 
' r Machin- 

tion. Up to that time all the wheat wastry 
either threshed with a flail or tramped out 
by the use of oxen and horses. In the first 
quarter of this century in Ohio, eight to six- 
teen bushels of wheat were considered a 
light average for a man to thresh with a 
flail, although when the wheat was well 
filled, as it often was in some parts of the 
state, the result was higher. When horses 
were used a larger amount could be 
threshed. Three horses, a man, and a 
boy, in one day, could thresh from thirty 
to forty bushels. In those days this work 
was done in the winter time ; the grain was 
winnowed and the straw used from day to 
day as threshed for feeding and bedding 
purposes. The first threshing machine in 
the state was a great curiosity, but at the 
same time emphatically opposed by all 
farm laborers. " They claimed it as a right 
to thresh with a flail, and regarded the in- 
troduction of machinery to effect the same 
object in a few days which would require 

161 



Introduc- their individual exertions during the whole 
tion and . . n . c 

Improve- wmter > not on ly as an innovation of a time- 

ment of honored custom, but as absolutely depriv- 

^ r; f. ing them of the means of obtaining an 
Machin- & & 

ery honest livelihood. At a later date, when a 

reaper had been introduced into a field of 
ripe wheat as a matter of experiment only, 
every one of the harvest hands deliberately 
marched out of the field and told the pro- 
prietor that he might secure his crop as best 
he could, that the threshing machine had 
deprived them of their regular winter work 
twenty years ago, and now the reaper 
would deprive them of the pittance they 
otherwise would earn during harvest." 1 

The first threshing machines were awk- 
ward in appearance and clumsy in con- 
struction, and almost as much power was 
lost in friction as was expended in thresh- 
ing ; at that time it was regarded to have 
accomplished a very extraordinary feat 
when it threshed fifty bushels per day. 
Since the year 183 1 each successive year 
has brought with it improvement after im- 
provement, when in 1850-53 they were 
perfected so as not only to economize power 

i M. B. Bateman, Ohio Agricultural Report, 1869. 
162 



and lessen friction, but would " thresh, sep- Introduc- 
, , ,. ,, . Hon and 

arate, winnow, and deliver the grain in & / m p rove . 

measure prepared in every respect ready ?nent of 
for the market, mill, or for feed." Great ^™^_ 
improvement has been made since then.^ry 
The large number of laborers that were 
required for threshing and raking, separat- 
ing the straw and placing it on a stack, is 
now displaced and the whole done by 
machinery, working by the same power 
that drives the thresher. A machine has 
been developed from one which formerly 
threshed fifty bushels a day into one which 
in its utmost capacity may thresh several 
thousand. 

The year 183 1 brought one of those great 
and valuable inventions which commence 
a new era in the progress of improvement, 
and whose beneficial results have been 
manifested not only in this state and coun- 
try, but in the world at large. It was at 
this time that Cyrus H. McCormick in- 
vented and successfully operated the Mc- 
Cormick reaper, an invention that is as 
important to agriculture as the cotton gin is 
to manufacture. Perhaps no single inven- 
tion made has done so much for the pro- 

163 



Introduc- gress of agriculture as did this invention. 
Improve- ^ doubled the production of wheat per 
metit of capita of the population, and it released 
\% n/ 7- more than one half of the agricultural pop- 
ery ulation for manufacturing industries. The 

first machine was characterized by those 
practical devices that have been incorpor- 
ated in every successful reaper made since. 
The original reaper was made and tested 
in 183 1, and embraced the following fea- 
tures : The serrated, reciprocating blade, 
operating in fingers or supports to the grain 
being cut. The platform for receiving the 
cut grain deposited upon it by the reel. 
The grain was then raked to the side in 
bunches ready to bind. There was also a 
divider to separate the grain to be left stand- 
ing from the grain to be cut. The horses 
traveled ahead of the machine, and along 
the standing grain. The motion to move the 
operating parts was derived from the outer 
of two wheels, upon which the machine 
was mounted. In 1833 another reaper, the 
Hussey mower, invented by Obed Hussey 
of Carthage, Hamilton county, Ohio, ap- 
peared. Both of these machines were 
patented in 1834, tne conditions in the 
164 



patents being simply these : McCormick's^^^- 

, . .j r. i tion and 

machine was mounted on two wheels, a 7 m ^ rove . 

main wheel which supported the greater ment of 
part of the weight of the machine, gave^ r/ ^. 
motion to the crank, reciprocating the knife, e ry 
and revolved the wheel, and a grain wheel 
at the outer end of the platform. Hussey's 
machine according to the patent had three 
wheels at the stubble side, all of which 
rested upon the ground. In case a wide 
platform was to be used the machine should 
have four wheels, the extra one at outer 
end of platform. 

With all the untiring efforts of these 
early inventors, their reaping-machines 
did not reach a very high degree of suc- 
cess, because they were not practical. 
However, many were very enthusiastic 
and sanguine in their hopes. One editor 
in describing one of these early machines, 
says: "The Hussey reaper cuts a swath 
five feet, but it is intended, when perfect, 
to cut from fifteen to eighteen feet. There 
is no agitation of grain. It falls to the 
ground where it stood in an opposite direc- 
tion. Requires two horses to propel it, a 
boy to drive, and a man to lay the grain 

1 6 5 



Introduc-ixi bundles for binding. The man and boy 
Improve- b° tn r ^ e - The horses may walk or trot. 
ment of Will perform better work in fast than slow 
j^ rn j l - _ motion." 1 But it required many years to 
ery reach the time for a reasonably perfect 

reaper. And the day is still in the distance 
for drawing the mowing-machine with the 
horses in a trot. These reaping-machines 
at first were not practical ; but with con- 
stant efforts they became better and wider 
known when, in 1855, they were used gen- 
erally and successfully throughout the state. 
The two machines 2 that were most popular 
and generally in use at the time of the uni- 
versal introduction in the state, i854~'55, 
were the Ketchem's and Maury's patent 
combined and adjustable reapers and mow- 
ers. But with the success of these, im- 
provements did not stop. There was still 
too much labor required to bind the bun- 
dles. Eighteen hundred and fifty-eight 
marks the century with an invention that 
has revolutionized harvest methods. Charles 
W. and Wallace W. Marsh of Illinois con- 
ceived the idea of so constructing a machine 

1 Farmer 's Record, 1833. 

2 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1856, page 173. 

166 



that it would deliver a swath of grain to a Introduc- 
receptacle in the machine where two men /;; . , ove _ 
standing could bind it as fast as cut. At went of 
first failure resulted because of improper f? r; f. 
financial help and faulty mechanical worker/ 
on the primitive machines. But with con- 
tinual perseverence 1862 found a fairly 
perfect machine that was practical in every 
respect, and to which every successful 
grain and corn harvester owes its ideas 
and success. In 1864 twenty-four practi- 
cal machines were built in a little sash fac- 
tory. In 1865 twenty-six were built. In 
1866 the number grew to a hundred, and 
ten years later the Marsh harvester was 
being improved and built by nearly all our 
reaper manufacturers. Still the harvester 
was not complete. There was needed an 
automatic binder attachment. Eighteen 
hundred and seventy-five brought it, but 
it was the objectionable wire-binder. So 
every effort was made to find a suitable 
substitute for wire. Thousands of dollars 
were spent in efforts to get a straw band- 
binder, and then attention was turned 
toward possibilities of a twine-binder. To 
Mr. William Deering belongs the credit of 

167 



fntroduc- fat conception, as well as the putting into 
Improve- P rac tical use, of single thread binder-twine. 
ment of In 1880 the self-twine-binder became a 
ifT" . P r onounced success. In 1884-85 the first 
ery all-steel machines were manufactured ; 

while in 1892 the principles of ball- and 
roller-bearings were applied to our har- 
vesting machinery, completing the devel- 
opment of the reapers conceived by Cyrus 
H. McCormick in 1831. Fifty years of 
effort, — what a victory for agriculture ! 
While Ohio was not the birthplace of the 
improvements and inventions, she was the 
great experiment field where the survival 
of the fittest took place. 

Before the reaping machines came into 
use throughout the country, the grain-scythe 
and cradle were the implements with which 
most of the grain was leveled. The length 
of the scythe was four feet ; the cradle was 
formed of five finely-tapered ash fingers, 
and curved correspondingly to the blade ; 
the snath, as light as is consistent with 
strength, was bent into an elegant curve. 
With this implement a good cradler could 
cut four acres per day. Mr. Flint, in his 
visit to America in 1818, was much pleased 
168 



with the cradle. He says: 1 "The use oiintroduc- 
this grain-cradle undoubtedly requires a /m j, rove . 
peculiar knack ; it is accomplished with a m.ent of 
great swing of the body, and the grain is^jfT. _ 
tipped out at the end of each cut ; but \i e ry 
our people could learn the art of using it, it 
would prove a most valuable substitute for 
the sickle, or the common scythe. In fact, 
one cannot watch the operations in an 
American harvest field, without being im- 
pressed with a conviction that, if English 
farmers and our colonists are to compete 
with the American in growing corn and 
wheat, they must adopt some of those im- 
plements which American ingenuity, stim- 
ulated by necessity, has already invented 
and proved. It is not the grain cradles 
alone that are superior, the corresponding 
implements of this country, but the common 
tools, such as hayforks and rakes, and 
dungforks display a lightness, combined 
with strength and beauty of proportion and 
high finish, which is not seen even in our 
most improved ones, and is far superior, 
indeed, to those commonly used here. 
Their best five-pronged forks are cut out 

1 Royal Agricultural Society of England, Vol. xx. 

169 



Introduc- f a single piece of steel, and when swung 

Improve- aroun d and dashed against the floor, a 

ment of common test, ring like a tuning-fork ; 

Machin- n g ntness an d handiness are particularly 

cry attended to in these. It is to be feared 

that unless our manufacturers vie with 

these models, they will lose the colonial 

and foreign markets." 

There had long been felt the need of 
seeding machines for both wheat and corn. 
The old method of putting in the grain by 
hand was exceedingly laborious and expen- 
sive. Inventors had been working for years 
to get a grain-drill that would not clog and 
choke from either the foulness of the ground 
or of the grain, and at the same time carry 
out the seed evenly and equally, depositing 
it at the bottom of the drills made by the hol- 
low coulters. From time to time machines 
of this kind had been brought out, but it 
was not until 1848 and 1850 that a machine 
of any great degree of success was ob- 
tained. The Gatling wheat-drill, perhaps, 
came nearest the ideal at the time, and was 
quite extensively used. The seed by this 
machine was distributed by auger-like 
screws, which revolve as the machine is 
170 



drawn, and in proportion to its speed, by fntroduc- 
means of as many bevel wheels on the axle /w x r ^,_ 
as there are coulters or teeth to the ma- ment of 
chine ; these mesh into a like number of Jt ri, j ■ . 
small, pinion-bevel wheels attached to the ery 
iron rods or shanks of the augers. These 
were extended into the bottom of the seed- 
box, to which are connected the hollow 
coulters, which carry the seed. The prin- 
ciple upon which the seed distributed the 
grain rendered its adaptation very complete 
for sowing oats, barley, wheat or rye. The 
quantity of seed can be varied from half a 
bushel to three bushels per acre, and in all 
cases the work was done with astonishing 
accuracy. 

Following in close order the success of 
the grain-drill came the introduction of 
machinery for planting corn. Dropping 
corn by hand, and the use of a " hand 
jabber," were the methods that nine tenths 
or more of the farmers followed in corn 
planting up to 1854. Planters before that 
time were crude, undeveloped, and inferior, 
and did not answer the desired purpose ; 
and though corn-planters for one and two 
horses were invented and introduced and 

171 



introduc- to some little extent used in 1854, tne Y 
Improve- were not fully spread over the state until 
ment of twenty years after. The Barnhill Planter 
Jl rn }. was one of the early patents, and very 
ery much commended in the sections where it 

was used. It was drawn by one horse, 
"planting with ease from five to seven 
acres per day, doing the furrowing out and 
covering at one operation, and better than 
could have been done by hand." It de- 
posited one or two grains of corn at every 
nine or ten inches in the furrow. This 
machine was invented by J. Barnhill, Circle- 
ville, Ohio. The ** hand jabber" was in 
use to a very great extent until the modern 
improved planters were introduced. This 
latter tool for all conditions has been about 
the only really successful implement for 
planting corn that we have had in this state 
until the modern two-horse planters have 
been developed. 

As early as 1824 the horse-rake in its 
simplest and original form was invented. 
It was made of a piece of strong scantling 
three inches square, in which were set 
"horizontally about fifteen teeth, twenty- 
two inches long by an inch or an inch and 
172 



three fourths at the place of insertion, Introduc- 
tapering on the under side, with a slight Im p rove . 
upward turn at the points, to prevent xxm-ment of 
ning into the ground. The two other teetn ^Jto- 
were cut off to about one third their first ery 
length, and draught ropes attached. Han- 
dles served to guide the teeth, to lift the 
rake from the ground in avoiding obstacles 
and to empty the accumulated hay." The 
revolving horse-rake was next generally 
adopted, possessing the great advantage 
of unloading without lifting the rake or 
stopping the horse. A further improve- 
ment was made by attaching the revolving 
rake to a sulky on which the operator sat, 
enabling him to do a larger amount of 
work with less fatigue. The most satis- 
factory improvement was the spring-tooth 
contrivance. In its original form, the teeth 
were made of stiff elastic wire, on the points 
of which the rake ran, instead of the fiat 
sides, as in the case of the wooden rakes. 
They bent in passing an obstruction and 
sprang back to their places. This rake 
was unloaded by simply lifting the han- 
dles. The last improvement has been 
made by attaching the spring -tooth rakes 

i73 



fntroduc-to wheels, making a sulky in form, on 
Improve- which rides the driver, and by patented 
ment of modifications he with ease lifts and lowers 
M™;- tn e rake as they become full or empty. 
ery Hay tedding machines have been known 

for many years, but the heavy and cumber- 
some condition in which they were made 
prevented them from coming into common 
use. Within the last decade, however, it 
has been satisfactorily made and success- 
fully used. It is furnished with forks held 
nearly upright, but worked by a compound 
crank, which scatters and turns the hay 
with great rapidity in the rear of the 
machine. 

The original horse hayfork appeared 
about 1848, and was quite a relief to the 
severe labor occasioned by pitching hay 
from the wagon. It consisted of from three 
to four steel prongs fastened to a handle 
somewhat as our common hand forks of 
to-day. The prongs were plunged into the 
hay and elevated to the mow on the plan 
of leverage. The single fork was soon 
succeeded by the double-clasping fork 
which held the bundle of hay like the claws 
of a bird. The harpoon fork, on account 
i74 



of the rapidity of its use, has been most /n ^ ro ^ uc " 
commonly and satisfactorily used. Within / m p rove . 
recent years the hay loader has been o-per- went of 
ated in the field, carrying the hay up and^™^_ 
dropping it on the load. It has obviated^ 
hand pitching. 

During the past few years unexampled 
progress has been made in the improvement 
and manufacture of farm machinery ; all 
of which has been given immediate trial on 
Ohio farms to receive the judgment of 
Ohio farmers. Plows have been made of 
harder materials, and perfect in form and 
use. Harrows and cultivators, general and 
special, of numerous kinds and descrip- 
tions, now perform all the labor at one time 
done by hand. Seed drills for grain and 
vegetables, are truer in their distribution of 
seed, than the human hand itself. Mowers, 
reapers, and binders for grass, grain, and 
stalks, and machines for threshing, are now 
universally adopted by every husbandman 
of the state. 

Hand labor has been replaced by machine 
power, physical energy by thought. From 
the wooden plow and harrow, the sickle, 
hoe, and flail, have been developed these 

i75 



Farm 

Machin 

ery 



Introduc- implements whose quality and use is near 
Improve- tne P ei *fect. The poorer farmer sowed his 
ment of grain by hand, covered it with the uncouth 
wooden harrow or a bundle of brush ; with 
the assistance of wife and children, the 
harvest was done, the grain reaped, 
bound and secured, for the winter's thresh- 
ing and cleaning. But progress was alive 
if slow. For it brought him the grain 
cradle, then the improved plow, then 
the winnowing mill, the threshing ma- 
chine, the corn sheller, the improved 
wagon, the canal, the carriage, the reaper, 
the mower, the self-binder, and a thousand 
and one other implements and machines 
that have lessened his labors and cares and 
multiplied his material enjoyments for 
physical easement and mental culture. 
176 



CHAPTER XII 

DAIRYING IN OHIO 

Dairying in Ohio began with the first 
settlers. The cow was usually a part of 
the family, and grazing near the home 
could be heard the sound of her tinkling 
bell. And how gladly she was received 
with her treasure of milk, fresh for break- 
fast, fresh for the evening meal ! The 
churn and the cheese-press were used at 
once by the earliest pioneers, for the 
products they furnished were not luxury 
but contributed to daily food. We have 
no evidence or records of any dairy 
products for commercial form in the early 
periods of the state. Butter and cheese 
had been made from the first but only for 
the family use. The chief reason perhaps 
was want of transportation. A large part 
of the pioneers had been skilled in cheese 
making in their eastern homes, but the 
wilderness afforded no place for the manu- 
facture of butter and cheese as commercial 
articles. The cow was kept to labor and 
to furnish milk to the family. As the trees 

177 



Dairying were cleared away and the settlers' condi- 
tions bettered a second and a third cow 
were added to the herd and butter and 
cheese making resulted in their order. 
Home cheese and butter making began in 
Ohio at an early date. It was a common 
thing during the spring and summer 
months to see at almost every pioneer's 
home the cheese hoop in operation. This 
consisted of a rail 1 or pole, with one end 
under the lower log of the cabin and lying 
across a rudely constructed cheese hoop, 
with a weight attached to the outer end, 
sufficient to press the cheese. 

Many tales have been told about these 
proverbial cheese hoops where the leeks 
covered the earth and tainted the milk in 
every manufactured form. To an epicure 
or the modern cheese or butter maker such 
would be a serious drawback, and a wonder 
beyond expectant possibilities. As areas 
were cleared and enclosed, dairying in- 
creased and cheese making was developed. 
The chief difficulty was access to market. 
Cheese to some little extent had been made 
in Ohio for export before 1820, but the 

1 History of Geauga County, page 29. 
I 7 8 



difficulty of transportation kept the amount Dairying 
down to a minimum. The section of the 
state known as the Western Reserve has 
always been known as the principal dairy 
region and there, perhaps, the first cheese 
for commerce was made. The first man 
who carried cheese to the Southern markets 
was Mr. Harvey Baldwin, who during the 
summer of 1820 took the first cargo down 
the Ohio river. This first cargo 1 consisted 
of two thousand pounds, which had been 
hauled by wagon from Aurora to Beaver 
Point, Pa., and from there transferred to a 
pine skiff, on which he embarked as cap- 
tain, supercargo and owner, and commenced 
his voyage down the Ohio, selling his 
cheese as he journeyed along at Wheeling, 
Marietta, Gallipolis, Portsmouth, Marys- 
ville, Augusta, Cincinnati, Madison, and 
Louisville, Kentucky, where he made sale 
of it, and terminated his voyage at a good 
profit above cost and transportation. 

This undertaking had been so successful 
that making and marketing cheese on a 
large scale was now begun. In 1825 
Harvey Baldwin, Samuel Taylor, and 

1 History of Geauga County. 
179 



Dairying Apollos White purchased several dairies 
in Bainbridge and Auburn and sent cheese 
down the Ohio. Cheese was sold in this 
manner for several years to the Southern 
markets of Cincinnati, Nashville, Hunts- 
ville, and others at from 25 cents to 30 cents 
per pound. At the same time a little cheese 
had been shipped north to New York and 
Pennsylvania. These pioneers started the 
cheese trade in Ohio that has grown to be 
a leading interest and specialty in north- 
eastern Ohio, and which influence was felt 
in neighboring states. 

Until after 1834 tne Western Reserve 
cheese had entire control of the Southern 
markets. 1 About that time the Yankee 
population, who settled in the Darby plains, 
commenced its manufacture and their 
cheese came into competition at several of 
the Southern cities, and on account of 
nearness to market and less expensive 
transportation they undersold the Western 
Reserve cheese. The quality of this 
cheese " was equal, if not superior, to the 
early Western Reserve cheese," but such 
small quantities that the price was not 

1 History of Geauga County, page 29. 
180 



materially affected. To-day home-made Dairying 
cheese is seldom made, the factory having 
so generally superseded farm cheese mak- 
ing, that the latter receives no attention in 
the consideration of the dairy interests of 
the state. 

The old method of cheese making on 
the farms of individual farmers continued 
as the rule, until about 1848-49, when the 
factory system was put in operation. " In 
the Western Reserve of Ohio where the 
making of cheese has been largely carried 
on for several years, a change of system 
has lately taken place to some extent. 
Certain men who are well acquainted with 
the manufacture of cheese, purchase the 
curd, unsalted, of their neighbors, and 
make it into that kind of cheese for which 
they find the readiest sale and best price. 
A single manufacturer sometimes uses the 
curd produced from the milk of several 
hundred cows. It is gathered every morn- 
ing by men who call at the different farms 
for that purpose. These large establish- 
ments are called factories. 12 This method 

i Albany Cultivator, 1849. 

2 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1850, page 91. 



Dairying had some effect in establishing permanent 
systems but they were only local in influ- 
ence. Up to 1850 the manufacture of cheese 
and butter was pursued by almost identically 
the same processes that had prevailed from 
time immemorial, but about that time inquiry 
and investigation seemed suddenly to per- 
vade the dairy interest of the communities, 
and from that time improvement has steadily 
been carried on. 

About this time, i848-'5o, the first im- 
proved dairy fixtures were introduced 
and the first dairymen's association was 
formed, which was styled the Geauga 
County Dairymen's Association. By 
means of this organization investigation was 
set on foot, inquiry awakened, and it was 
no doubt the prime mover of very many 
of the improved fixtures which were intro- 
duced at about that time and a few years 
thereafter. Between this time and i860 
many improved cheese vats, heaters, curd 
knives, and other dairy utensils and fixtures 
were invented and brought out, all of them 
showing progress and improvement, but it 
was during the years 1861, 1862, and 1863 
that the most radical change was effected 
182 



by the spread of the cheese factory system Dairying 
first inaugurated by Jesse Williams ten 
years before. Anson Bartlett 1 in 1862 
showed the possibilities of a cooperative 
system of cheese manufacture, which soon 
made a notable change in the dairy system 
of the state. The method was for dairy- 
men to send their milk to factories to be 
worked up on a cooperative system, at a 
given price per pound for making, curing, 
boxing, selling or forwarding to market 
and making the necessary dividends. The 
first factory of this kind in the state was 
built at Munson by Anson Bartlett in 1862. 
Bartlett had previously gone to Oneida 
county, New York, to study the process, 
and learn the management and progress, 
which had brought the Oneida dairies into 
such good repute in the best markets. 

Dairying in Ohio to-day consists of a 
variety of forms and processes. Some of 
the operators make only cheese, this 
being done either through the whole year 
or only a part of it. Others make more or 
less butter, but cheese is the main product. 
This depends upon the season and the mar- 

1 History of Geauga County, page 9. 
I8 3 



Dairying ket. During the summer months when 
butter is low in price cheese is made, while 
in winter when butter commands a good 
price the manufacture of cheese is dropped 
and butter making taken up. Other facto- 
ries make butter mainly, perhaps a little 
cheese. When the factory is devoted prin- 
cipally to cheese making it is termed a 
cheese factory ; if for butter making a 
butter factory, and if both they may be 
be known as creameries. The latter term 
is coming into use for butter factories as 
well, and to-day is the common name ap- 
plied to any factory where the article cream 
is separated from milk or handled sepa- 
rately. At first in Ohio little attention was 
paid to the value of a cow. Cows were 
preferred which were best adapted to labor, 
then those which were specially fitted for 
feed, and more recently those best suited 
for the dairy. So to-day we have devel- 
oped in this state a class of cattle bred in 
the interest of dairy industry alone. The 
factory system perhaps has contributed 
more toward the advancement of the dairy 
interests of the state than any other factor. 
When the Southern trade was cut off by 
184 



the war in 1861, the farm dairy began to Dairying 
decline and the factory system to grow in 
favor. At that time the English trade came 
into prominence but the English shippers 
would buy none but factory-made cheese. 
This resulted in a decline of the home- 
made product but acted as a permanent 
stimulus to the factory-made. A large and 
increasing trade soon grew up, so that in 
ten years it had increased over flfteenfold. 
The factory system enabled the Ohio 
farmers to compete for the English trade 
which resulted in considerably higher prices 
which were permanent in effect. In view 
of the large increase in prices for Ohio 
cheese obtained through the influence of 
factories, the fact that farmers' families by 
this means saved a vast amount of hard 
work, and in fact those farmers who patron- 
ized factories received as much net cash as 
they would to make their own cheese at 
home, influenced the introduction of the 
factory system over the state and the falling 
into disuse of the old system of making 
cheese at home. Butter has always been 
chiefly a home-made product. We have 
seen during the past decade the establish- 
es 



Dairying me nt of a few butter factories, but the farm 

in Onto , . t i -, r 

dairy supplies the principal amount of 

butter for consumption and commerce 
to-day. 

The cheese industry received the first 
and earliest attention ; and even when the 
factory system was put into operation the 
product manufactured in largest quantity 
was cheese. Milk and cream were not 
sent to be made into butter. That idea has 
but recently been put into operation. Dur- 
ing the early sixties, when the factory 
system was coming prominently into use, 
butter making in the factories was a sec- 
ondary consideration. On an average not 
over one pound of butter was manufactured 
to forty to fifty of cheese. The cream was 
skimmed from the cheese vats and the par- 
tially whole milk, but more properly butter- 
milk was made into cheese. The butter 
thus made was considered as so much 
gained, while the cheese was the chief out- 
put of the factory. From this time on, 
cheese in this state became factory made to 
such an extent that in 1886 the amount of 
factory-made cheese in the state was 16,- 
500,000 pounds ; while the farm-made 
186 



cheese had decreased to but 3,000,000, and^ z >7'«£ 
the ten years following had fallen to the 
minimum amount. 

Ohio has always been a dairy state, but 
it has only been since the factory system 
was established that any marvelous and 
permanent development has been made. 
The old home methods from their environ- 
ments necessarily produced an article of 
butter and cheese, variable in quantity and 
quality. Besides, the number of skilful 
cheese makers w r as so small, and their field 
of labor so limited, that many of the farmers 
were prevented from engaging in the busi- 
ness, from their inability either to secure 
help or obtain the information that would 
be required for the proper and profitable 
management of dairies. Then the other 
house and farm duties were constantly in- 
terfering with the painstaking and watchful 
attention to the vat and curing room that is 
absolutely necessary for the making of high 
grade cheese. But the cooperative system 
stands as the one remedy to all the evils of 
the home system of cheese making. Since 
1862 the factory system derived from neces- 
sity has been in operation. That it has 

187 



Dairying been the successful method, is attested by 
the enormous manufacture of butter and 
cheese of superior grade and quality. In 
the future, we may look for something even 
better, for the dairy school recently estab- 
lished at the Ohio State University will give 
the state trained and skilful talent to further 
elevate and develop the dairy interest of 
the state. The energy being now devoted 
to this line of industry will in the next 
decade be harvested with abundant yields — 
worthy fruitage of the untiring and labo- 
rious industry of the fathers of pioneer 
days. 



CHAPTER XIII 

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 

Papers, Societies, Colleges, Experiment Sta- 
tions, and Institutes 

With the gradual progress of agriculture 
in the state came the agricultural papers 
and periodicals. They have been among 
the most prominent agencies which have 
contributed to the industrial development 
of the state. Though their work has been 
difficult it has been grandly done. Poor 
patronage by the farmers, and for whose 
welfare they have been struggling, has 
handicapped them throughout their exist- 
ence ; and even to-day the farmers of the 
state do not realize their obligations for the 
support of the agricultural press. The first 
paper of its kind in the state was the West- 
ern Tiller, which appeared in Cincinnati 
in 1826. It was miscellaneously published 
but contained many able articles on agri- 
cultural subjects. This paper was followed 
by the Farmers' Record in 1831 , which was 
published in Cincinnati, and continued for 
several years. The Ohio Farmer, pub- 
lished at Batavia, Clermont county, in 1833, 

189 



Agricul- 
tural 
Educa- 
tion 



by Hon. Samuel Medary, had a prominent 
place among the early newspapers of the 
state. The Ohio Cultivator was started in 
1845 by M. B. Bateman, and for many 
years it was not only successful but one of 
the strongest advocates of improved condi- 
tions for agriculture. Other early agricul- 
tural papers published in this state were the 
Western Fa?-mer and Gardener, Western 
Horticultural Review, and the Ohio 
Farmer, under a new management, pub- 
lished at Cleveland. This last agricultural 
paper connects the pioneer days with the 
present, and during all its existence it has 
stood a friend of the farmer, and foremost 
in the advancement of the agriculture of 
the state. Other agricultural papers pub- 
lished in the state are the Farm and Fire- 
side, Farmer's Home, Farm News, Ameri- 
can Grange Bulletin, The Agricultural 
Student Magazine, Land and Living, and 
Breeder and Farmer. 



FAIRS 



While all of these have been strong fac- 
tors in the improvement of the soil and the 
crops and the livestock, they have been as 
190 



valuable in bringing culture to the farm 4^*^- 

tural 
home. On February 22, 18 19, the first Educa _ 

agricultural society in Ohio was organized, Hon 
and called the Agricultural and Manufac- 
turing Society of Washington County, Ohio, 
and Wood County, Virginia. A county fair 
was held in Marietta in 1826. In those 
days the court-house served for floral hall, 
and the street and vacant lots adjacent were 
used to display the stock. The Cincinnati 
society for the promotion of agriculture, 
manufactures, and domestic science, was 
organized in Cincinnati early in 1819, with 
General William Henry Harrison as pres- 
ident. A little later the society was reor- 
ganized under the name of the Hamilton 
County Agricultural Society, with General 
Harrison as president. At the first fair 
held by this society, early in the twenties, 
no cash premiums exceeding five dollars 
were offered, while diplomas and certifi- 
cates were the general inducement for the 
exhibition of stock. The Hamilton County 
Agricultural Society was the first distinct 
society of its kind in the state. Since its 
reorganization in 1820 it has held fairs 
more or less regularly ever since. During 

191 



Agnail- the legislative session of 1832-33 an act 
Educa- was P asse d for the encouragement of agri- 
taw culture, through the organization of county 
agricultural societies. Many societies were 
organized in conformity with this act, but 
we cannot find any record of the exact 
number ; however, nearly all the societies 
that had been organized held fairs for some 
years, but the want of public spirit and 
public sentiment failed to sustain them, and 
they were gradually discontinued, until the 
new act respecting their organization was 
passed in 1846. This was an important 
measure for the encouragement of agricul- 
ture, which provided for a state board of 
agriculture, and made it the duty of the 
board "to report annually to the legislature 
a detailed account of their proceedings, with 
a statement of the condition and needs of the 
agriculture of the state. It was also made 
the duty of the board to hold an agricul- 
tural convention annually in Columbus, at 
which all the counties of the state were to 
be represented. This act, and the one of 
the next year, provided for a permanent 
agricultural fund and gave a great stimulus 
to the formation of agricultural societies. 
192 



Since that time scarcely a county in the 4^*^- 
state has been without such an organiza-^-^^ 
tion." 1 tion 

In 1846 the board met and organized by 
electing Allen Trimble, president ; N. L. 
Sullivant, treasurer ; and Samuel Medary, 
secretary. By the organization of this 
board the spirit of improvement revived in 
a number of the counties where societies 
had previously been formed, and much 
benefit resulted at once to the farming inter- 
ests. The Ohio state board of agriculture 
held the first state fair in Cincinnati on the 
nth, 1 2th, and 13th days of September, 
1850. At this fair premiums were awarded 
to Shorthorns, Herefords, Devons, and 
Ayrshires ; to crosses between improved 
and native cattle ; working oxen and steers ; 
fat and grass fed cattle, and milch cows ; 
also to sheep classed under wool and fat 
sheep. No breed classifications were made 
or premiums awarded to swine. The same 
is true with horses. Besides the above 
there were awards on poultry, plows, vari- 
ous farm implements, and manufactured 
wares. The second state fair was held 

1 Howe's History of Ohio, Vol. I, page 107. 
193 



Agricul- 
tural 
Educa- 
tion 



near Franklinton, one mile west of Colum- 
bus, on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of Septem- 
ber, 1851. At this fair were displayed 
numerous varieties of stock, grain, imple- 
ments, machines, raw materials, manufac- 
tures, sculpture, paintings, and other fine 
arts, as well as specimens in almost every 
branch of human industry at that time, 
illustrative alike of the skill, taste, and inge- 
nuity of the people of Ohio. Until 1874 tne 
Ohio state fair was a movable fair, having 
been five years at Dayton, two years at 
Cincinnati, Toledo, Springfield, and Mans- 
field, one year each at Franklinton, New- 
ark, Zanesville, and Sandusky. How 
much good it, in common with the county 
fairs, has clone in contributing to the vigor- 
ous growth of the state and our material 
prosperity, can never be estimated. But 
the influence of the agricultural fair idea 
has been quietly and silently made, and to- 
day we are bequeathed the rich legacy in 
the form of awakened thought of a better 
husbandry. The impulse given us by the 
fairs has resulted in better and more 
thorough cultivation of the soil, superior 
grades of all agricultural and horticultural 
194 



products, the introduction of improved va\- Agricul- 
plements and machinery, and the applica- ^ uca . 
tion of scientific principles in all the opera- Hon 
tions of the farm and garden. 

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 

Scarcely any subject in Ohio has excited 
more interest than that of agricultural edu- 
cation to the leading agriculturists. When 
the Board of Agriculture was established, 
every one was aware that much might be 
accomplished by improved implements and 
machines, and better herds of livestock 
and superior farm products, yet they be- 
lieved that in order to obtain the best possible 
results from the soil, by means of these, an 
appropriate education was indispensable. 
As early as 1848 many leading farmers 
conceived that one of the most important 
subjects before them and which should 
receive their most earnest attention and 
individual cooperation was the establish- 
ment of an agricultural college. The two 
strongest reasons, 1 perhaps, in their minds 
were that the acquirement of such an educa- 
tion would " enable the student to till the 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1870, page 233. 
195 



Agricul- so ii i n sucn an intelligent manner as to 
Educa- re ceive the greatest possible results with the 
tion least expenditure of physical labor." This 

idea was undoubtedly the leading as well 
as the ostensible motive for the establish- 
ment of the college ; but there was an 
equally powerful one "derived from the 
social status of the farmer as compared with 
the professional or commercial man." And 
while the prime objects were to obtain direct 
benefits from the soil, the elevation of agri- 
culture to an equal rank with the learned 
professions, in the estimation of society was 
always kept prominent in view. What 
conceptions these pioneers in agricultural 
education had we do not know, but the 
spirit of such an institution was fully alive 
at the time of organization of the first state 
board of agriculture. President Trimble 
in his address at the first annual meeting, 
in December, 1846, without doubt had an 
agricultural college in his mind when he 
said "General intelligence is after all not 
only the best security to our institutions, but 
the great lever which must move our people 
in their advancement in agricultural im- 
provement. Ohio has all the elements of a 
196 



great and successful agricultural commu-^^- 
nity . Her resources have been pronounced JyjJL*- 
to be, by intelligent men at home and taw 
abroad, practically unlimited. As the 
virgin soil yields its power before the ex- 
hausting process and too often careless 
tillage, these resources must be to some 
extent diminished, unless an intelligent and 
improved mode of cultivation gradually 
supplies the place of that which suited well 
and still answers when the soil possesses its 
original fertility. To increase and develop 
the physical resources of the country is 
wisdom ; and not only the representatives 
of the people in their legislative assemblies, 
but all good people should unite in their 
effort to accomplish a purpose upon which 
depends in so high a degree the character 
and credit of the state, and the prosperity 
and happiness of the people." 1 In his 
annual address two years later he said, " I 
cannot close this report without calling the 
attention of the General Assembly and our 
farming population to the importance and 
necessity, if we would succeed in our 
undertaking to elevate agriculture among 

1 Ohio Agricultural Report, 1846, page 571. 
197 



Agricul- us to its true dignity and importance, of 
Educa- P rov iding some efficient means for prepar- 
tion ing our young men, at least, for adopting 

a more improved and perfect system of 
culture." Mr. Trimble's idea was to intro- 
duce into the academies and colleges, 
departments devoted exclusively to such 
branches of study as were most intimately 
connected with the cultivation of the soil, 
and at the same time to the practical appli- 
cation of the principles taught, by the 
cultivation of a sufficient amount of ground 
to impress those principles upon the minds 
of the pupils. He closed his address with 
the following words : " If it be objected to 
the plan suggested that if adopted it would 
injure the character and prospects of the 
literary institutions, then without waiting 
for the lead of New York, whose governor 
has wisely recommended to the legislature 
of that state the establishment of an agri- 
cultural college, and also one for the 
improvement of the mechanic arts, let us at 
once, either with the aid of the state or by 
individual efforts, establish and endow an 
agricultural college in Ohio, at which our 
young men may acquire not only a literary 
198 



and scientific, but a thoroughly practical, Agricul- 
education." This suggestion was partially E ^ Mca _ 
realized in 1844, when the first American//^ 
agricultural college was established at Ob- 
erlin, by the arrangement of lectures in 
winter courses upon branches of science 
most intimately related to agriculture, as 
geology, chemistry, botany, comparative 
anatomy, physiology, and mechanics. 
The instructors were Dr. N. S. Town- 
shend, James H. Fairchild, James Das- 
comb, and John S. Newberry, who 
lectured for three winters in succession, 
twice in Oberlin and once in Cleveland. 
An attempt was made to interest the legisla- 
ture in the matter, but this failed and the 
department was closed. A second attempt 
to establish the teaching of agriculture in 
the state was effected in 1856, when an 
agricultural department was established at 
Farmer's College, College Hill, Ohio. 
Previous to this time, a "fund was raised 
by the sale of shares, a suitable farm was 
purchased, commodious buildings were 
erected and a large attendance of students 
secured." 1 While it is true that something 

1 Howe's History of Ohio,Vol. I, page 10S. Ohio Cultivator, 1856. 

I99 



Agncul- was done by this college for a few years in 
tural . , . J c . h . / . 

Educa- teacnm g some of the sciences relating to 

Hon agriculture, it was only very slight, and no 

technical agriculture was ever taught. 

In 1862 Congress passed an act provid- 
ing a " grant of 50,000 acres of land, or 
land scrip, to each state and territory for 
each of its senators and representatives in 
Congress and entitled it under the census of 
i860, for the endowment and support of at 
least one college, where the leading object 
should be, without excluding other scien- 
tific and classical studies and including 
military tactics, to teach such branches of 
learning as are related to agriculture and 
the mechanic arts, in such manner as the 
legislature of the state might respec- 
tively prescribe, in order to promote the 
liberal and practical education of the indus- 
trial classes in the several pursuits and pro- 
fessions of life." The state of Ohio became 
entitled under this act to 629,920 acres. 
The Ohio State Board of Agriculture and 
many of the leading citizens of the state 
promptly sought to secure for the state of 
Ohio the benefits of the donation. In July, 
1864, through the efforts of Columbus 
200 



Delano the act providing for the acceptance Agricul- 
of the land scrip passed. It was not until j?rf uca _ 
1870, however, that a law was passed totion 
establish such a college and 1873 before it 
was ready for students. 

In 1890 Senator Morrill introduced and 
secured the passage of the act whereby an 
annual appropriation out of the proceeds 
of the public lands was made to each state 
for the further endowment of the agricul- 
tural colleges, made possible by the act of 
1862. In 1870 the legislature passed a law 
for the establishment of an agricultural 
college, a board of trustees was appointed, 
a farm purchased, buildings erected and a 
faculty chosen. The new college was 
located at Columbus, Ohio, and was named 
the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical Col- 
lege. In May, 1878, the General Assembly 
changed the name to Ohio State Univer- 
sity, "probably thinking that the new 
name better expressed the character of the 
institution having so many departments." 
Since 1892 the tide has strongly turned in 
favor of agricultural education and a won- 
derful development has resulted. The 
College of Agriculture and Domestic Sci- 

201 



Agriatl- ence f the Ohio State University has 
Educa- increased in enrollment from thirty-one to 
turn one hundred and sixty-one students in the 

last six years of its existence. Townshend 
Hall, a memorial to the public services and 
work of Dr. N. S. Townshend in advanc- 
ing the cause of agricultural education, 
was dedicated January 12, 1898, for the 
use of agricultural education in the state. 
It was completed at a cost of $115,000 and 
is the finest building devoted to agricultural 
instruction in the world. 

Agricultural education is a new idea but 
in full harmony with the fundamental prin- 
ciples of civilization and the elevation of 
the laboring class. The nations of antiquity 
built their civilization upon the degradation 
of labor, but we are building ours upon its 
exaltation. The farmers of Ohio can con- 
gratulate themselves upon the abundant 
and generous opportunity for the education 
of their children. In the training in agri- 
culture at the Ohio State University the 
student " studies the soil, is taught to ana- 
lyze the soil ; studies its physical proper- 
ties, finds the number and size of the grains 
in the soil. He finds from this study that 
202 



the exterior surfaces of the minute particles Agricul- 
in a cubic foot of soil may equal three ^ uca . 
acres, and that soils differ largely in this tion 
particular, and the power of crop produc- 
tion depends in a measure upon this fact. 
He finds for himself that an important dif- 
ference between the soil and the rock is the 
fact that the rock is solid and that one half 
the space in the soil may be unoccupied by 
soil particles. The student is taught the 
use of fertilizers and how to calculate their 
value. Is taught the manner and methods 
of drainage and irrigation, and of tillage, 
and of the effect and use of various farm 
implements upon such processes. The 
history, use, and culture, climate and soil, 
adaptation, harvesting and marketing vari- 
ous varieties of farm crops, are carefully 
studied. Kinds, care, and management of 
livestock are taught. The student is taught 
the characteristics that each class of ani- 
mals should possess for special purposes ; 
and by means of score cards the students 
are taught to judge the various classes of 
livestock. The student is taught the prin- 
ciples of breeding and mating animals, and 
is taught to understand and properly inter- 

203 



Agricul- pret pedigrees. He is taught the principles 
Ednca- °^ feeding and how to calculate feeding 
Hon rations which will bring the best results 

with the foods at hand and for the purpose 
used. Butter and cheese making and test- 
ing, and pasteurizing of milk are most 
thoroughly taught with ample facilities and 
expert instructors. Six thousand feet of 
floor space are devoted to the machinery 
and apparatus for this purpose in Towns- 
hend Hall. No handsomer suite of rooms 
can be found anywhere in America for this 
purpose than are found in this building. 
Fruit growing and vegetable raising and 
greenhouse work are thoroughly taught. 
In addition to the large gardens, lettuce, 
radishes, and tomatoes, and other vegeta- 
bles are raised by sub-irrigation, under 
glass. Grafting, budding, cross-fertilizing, 
trimming, and other technical work of the 
horticulturist, the student is taught to do. 
Both forestry and floriculture are given 
special study. Diseases of animals, dis- 
eases of plants, insect enemies and insect 
friends receive proper attention ; and meth- 
ods of treating diseases and combating in- 
sect enemies by spraying and otherwise, 
204 



are amply taught. The skill which stu-4£™^- 
dents acquire in the forge shop and in the^^^_ 
carpenter shop, working but six hours -portion 
week for ten weeks, is truly remarkable." 

The above gives a meagre idea of the 
work now being done by this institution in 
the way of educating the boys and girls for 
life on the farm. 

EXPERIMENT STATION 

In June, 1882, a bill was passed by the 
general assembly of Ohio for the establish- 
ment of an Ohio Agricultural Experiment 
Station, " for the benefit of the interests of 
practical and scientific agriculture, and for 
the development of the vast agricultural 
resources of the state," through the efforts 
of Col. J. H. Brigham, then a member of 
the general assembly, in response to the 
demand made by the intelligent farmers of 
the state for such enactment. A few days 
after the bill was passed Governor Charles 
Foster, in accordance with its provisions, 
appointed W. I. Chamberlain, Nicholas 
Ohmer, and Emmet Mix, the three mem- 
bers of the board of control. These mem- 
bers of the board of control were called 

205. 



Agricul- 
tural 
Educa- 
tion 



together April 25th, and effected an organ- 
ization by the election of the proper officers, 
and the appointment of Professor Lazenby 
as director. The trustees of the Ohio State 
University having offered the free use of as 
much land as might be needed for field ex- 
periments, the ijse of laboratories, appara- 
tus, collections, implements, etc., necessary 
to carry on the appropriate work, the station 
was located at the university. Afterward 
the board selected the remaining members 
for the station staff which, completed, was 
as follows : Professor W. R. Lazenby, 
director; Professor N. W. Lord, chemist; 
Professor W. S. Devol, botanist; and Pro- 
fessor W. B. Alwood, superintendent of 
field experiments. 

The first annual report was made in 1882, 
which gave a full account of the work that 
was begun and completed in that year. 
The director also stated that the station was 
" prepared to test varieties ; to analyze and 
test fertilizers and manures, soils, water, 
milks, and cattle food ; to examine seeds 
that are suspected of being unsound or 
adulterated ; to identify and name weeds 
and other plants ; to investigate and de- 
206 



scribe when known the habits of injurious Agricul- 
and beneficial insects, and other work of & g^uca- 
similar character that properly comes within taw 
its province." 

The appropriations made by the state in 
the early history of the station were limited, 
and the work of the station was for a time 
miserably restricted. But the liberal ap- 
propriations of Congress, which became 
available in 1888, put new life in the work, 
and a period of rapid progress resulted. 
During the year 1892 the station was moved 
to Wayne county, Ohio, where a large farm 
was purchased, more of the typical type of 
farm lands in Ohio than that afforded by 
the lands of the Ohio State University. 
Since its removal to Wooster, Ohio, the fol- 
lowing buildings have been erected for the 
use of the station : administration building, 
three barns and a power house, tool house, 
and a dairy house with equipments. The 
station is now pleasantly located and equip- 
ped, and though at first handicapped on 
account of poor equipment and scarcity of 
workers, it is now doing a grade of experi- 
mental work of the highest and most skill- 
ful type. It is demonstrating for Ohio that 

207 



Agricul- a rational system of agriculture is possible, 
Educa- anc ^ ^at ^ ^ as * ts foundation in science, 
tion illustrating that "success in farming de- 

pends more upon skill and intelligence than 
upon muscle and ignorance." 

farmers' institutes 

Another factor that has contributed im- 
mensely to the education of the farmers of 
Ohio has been the development of the insti- 
tute idea, as suggested and formulated by 
Dr. W. I. Chamberlain, in 1880, while 
secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. 
Secretary Chamberlain's plan, published in 
the annual agricultural report for 1880, gave 
a detailed plan of this institute work. The 
only difference between the plan first sug- 
gested and our present system is "that at 
the first Ohio institutes, all local expenses 
were paid by the local organization which 
invited the institute to be held in any given 
county. The original plan was that the 
board advertise its willingness to send two 
competent, practical speakers, scientists or 
specialists, for two days and one evening 
to any county whose citizens would guar- 
antee five things : first, a good, capacious 
208 



hall, well lighted and warmed; second, Agricul- 
good music; third, cordial help of local ^ uca . 
talent in presenting papers and joining in tion 
discussions ; fourth, local advertising and 
booming enough to call out a good atten- 
dance ; fifth, the payment of all local 
expenses including the hotel bills of foreign 
or state speakers." 

This plan was put into operation after 
the board had appropriated $1,000 of the 
surplus state fair earnings, for the expenses 
of the winter's institutes. Messrs. T. B. 
Terry, of Hudson, Ohio, and John Gould, 
of Aurora Station, were selected by the 
secretary as the principal speakers. Besides 
these two men several professors of the 
Ohio State University assisted in the work. 
Between forty and fifty institutes were held 
that winter and so successful were these 
county institutes (the first county institute 
ever held in the United States), that the 
legislature promptly added about $5,000 
per year to the appropriation formerly 
made to the board. In 1890 the legislature 
made another appropriation, this time in 
the form of a tax, per capita, for each 
county, amounting to about $14,000 a year. 

209 



Agricul- All the expenses, both local and state, are 

Educa- P a ^ out °f tn * s sum - 

Hon This plan of education has been quite 

popular and successful. While the expense 
is but a minimum the good that has resulted 
is enormous. Not only agriculture but 
every industry has been benefited, and not 
only the farmers have received instruction, 
entertainment, and culture but all peo- 
ple, irrespective of class, trade, or pro- 
fession. 

All these elements and factors and con- 
ditions have helped to ameliorate the 
condition of the people of the state, in a 
material way as well as having better taught 
them for what and how to live. As we 
look back over the century just closing we 
see three characters that have stood out as 
mighty exponents in the succession of time, 
for the advancement of agriculture and the 
amelioration of its people, — Trimble, Klip- 
part, Townshend. The halo of their 
greatness encircles their immortal brows 
to-day, and our agricultural people raise 
their voices in glorious praise. No plumes 
were attached to their hats, no swords hung 
from their belts, but with minds bent on 

210 



material and individual progress and with Agricul- 
souls kindled with the fire of love, that^^. 
their people might be bettered, that their Hon 
profession might be enlarged and advanced, 
and that their sons and daughters might 
enjoy education in the fullest extent, they 
directed their efforts and their lives. The 
first died without seeing an agricultural 
college realized, the fond hope of his life ; 
and the last, the star of its existence, tried 
the experiment himself and saw it success- 
ful ; and then laid down under the cares 
of his years, and quietly went to sleep 
knowing that a better day for agriculture 
had come. 

With the agricultural tastes of these men, 
life was not like the frivolous mountain 
stream dashing its dizzy head against rock 
and root and leaving but a fleck of foam 
to mark its track, but with them life was 
something solemn — a deep, broad river, 
bearing on its mighty bosom an argosy of 
golden treasures, the hearts that their 
efforts have lightened and the lives that 
their good deeds have blessed. 



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